The ninth, tenth, and eleventh books of Mr Jeremiah Burroughs: containing three treatises: I. Of precious faith. II. Of hope. III. The saints walk by faith on earth; by sight in heaven. Being the last sermons that the author preached at Stepney, neer London. / Published by Thomas Goodwyn, William Bridge, Sydrach Sympson, William Adderly, William Greenhil, Philip Nye, John Yates.

THE SAINTS WALK BY FAITH on EARTH: BY SIGHT in HEAVEN.

2 COR. 5. 7.

For we walk by Faith, not by Sight.

CHAP. I.

Shewing the Scope and Meaning of the Words, what is meant by Walking, what by Sight; That Chri∣stians walk not by Carnal Sense, nor Spiritual Sense, nor by Natural Reason, nor by Spiritual Reason only, but a Principle above all these, namely, Faith.

THE Apostle in the latter part of the former Chap∣ter, and the beginning of this, shews what it was that carried him, and the rest of suffering Saints through the great and manifold afflictions that they met withal in their way to Heaven, as is evident in the 17. vers. of the 6. Chap.

by that elegant Antithesis, & a double Hyperbole beyond Englishing: For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh or prepareth for▪ us afar more excee∣ding and eternal weight of Glory: and then it follows in the next verse, While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: It was the ex∣ercising of their eye of Faith upon the things which were not seen; and what those things are that are not seen, are shadowed out in the beginning of this 5. Chapter▪ We know that if our Earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens, and this we groan for, being burdened with sin and misery: and then in the 6. verse, We are alwaies confident, knowing that whilst we are at home in the Body, we are absent from the Lord: We do not enjoy that of God that we do expect, but yet we are confident; for however things seem to work sadly in respect of outwards, yet stil we have Confidence of the great things that are to come, For we walk by Faith, and not by Sight: That's the Scope.

We Walk▪] That is, The constant Course of our hearts, and of our lives, is acted and guided by Faith, and not by Sight: That's the meaning of Walking.

Not by sight.] Sight, that is taken either largely for Sence, not only the sight of the Eye, but for al other Sences both internal and external, one* 1.1 being put for all: We do not walk by Sence, and especially by the sight of our Eyes: And this Sight or Sence hath a Twofold Con∣sideration.

1. Either first considered as Carnal Sence, We do not walk according to what we see with our Eyes before us, we do not guide and steer our Course accor∣ding to this.

2 Or Secondly, which I think the Apostle doth as truly intend as the other; we do not walk by Spiritual Sence neither; that is, in what we feel in respect of Spi∣ritual

things; no, we have a Principle to guide and act•• us, not only beyond Carnal Sence, but even beyond Spi∣ritual Sence, we are guided and acted by Faith, that's a Principle higher. And this indeed is a blessed Walk of a Christian, he doth most blessedly walk with God when he comes to be guided and acted by a Principle higher than either Carnal Sence, or Spiritual Sence.

Again, Not by Sight, but by Faith: By Sight is not only meant Sence, but Reason; we do not walk ac∣cording to the sight of our Understandings: that's a higher Principle than Sence. And this likewise hath a Twofold Consideration.

1. Either Carnal Reason; we do not walk according to the Carnal Reason of our minds, as if we were acted by nothing else but what we apprehend by our own Na∣tural Reason.

2 Or Secondly, We do not walk by our Spiritual Reason only, we have a Principle beyond Spiritual Knowledg: And when I come to that Point I shal shew how this is meant, not only beyond Natural Knowledg, but beyond Spiritual Knowledg; Faith goes higher than that: Now that both these are meant, Spiritual▪ Sence, and Spiritual Knowledg, it's cleer to me from that which the Apostle saith here, While we are present in the Body, we are absent from the Lord; for we walk by Faith, and not by Sence: Though now we have a confidence, and we have some knowledg of God, and of what we shall enjoy in him, but saith he, we are absent from him, we have not that Sence of it fully as we shall have, neither have we the knowledg of it fully; but our Faith goes be∣yond our Sence of the presence of God, and goes beyond our Knowledg of God: We rise higher by our Faith than we can by our Knowledg▪ Not only Natural, but that Spiritual and Sanctified Knowledg that the Apostle had, did not reach so high as his Faith did. Thus you see the Scope and the meaning of the Apostle: In the opening of the Point we shall see it further.

CHAP. II.

Wherein the Text is opened; and it is shewed that Worldlings guide their way according to Sight, i. e. of their Eyes, and according to their other Sences, and according to their Natural Reason. 1 The end they propound to themselves is some sensual good. 2 They judg of things according to Sence. 3 Though they have somtimes some convictions and good affections, the main work of their lives is for some good of Sence.

FIrst, We shall treat of the Negative, What a Chri∣stian doth not walk according to, in the way of his heart or life: Not according to Sight.

Secondly, We shall treat of the Positive, By what a Saint on Earth doth walk: He walks by Faith.

And Thirdly, How this walking by Faith is beyond walking by Sight.

First of the Negative, That he doth not walk by Sight. We walk by Faith, and not by Sight: A Chri∣stian walks not by sight as other men do: It doth imply this, That other men walk by Sight; but those that are Saints do not: Worldlings steer their Course, and guide their way here in this world according to Sight.

And First according to the sight of their Eyes, and their other Sences, they make that to be their way and guide.

And Secondly, According to their Natural Reason; they make that to be their guide, and go no further; But a real Christian is beyond all these, yea, he is be∣yond his Spiritual Sence, and Sanctified Reason and Knowledg.

1 First then to open to you what it is to walk by

Sight, that is, what Carnal men do when they walk by Sight.

2 And then we shall shew unto you, That they do so.

3 And Thirdly, What a great evil there is in walking by Sight.

4 And then, That Saints do not do as they do.

First, Then when I say that the men of the world that are Carnal, walk first by Sence, and then by Reason: They walk by Sight; I mean by that, this,

1 The great good or end that a Carnal heart pro∣pounds to its self, it is some good that is the Object of Sence; for in a Walk there is propounding an end whe∣ther you would walk to; now those that are Carnal and Natural, the end that they propound to themselves is some sensual good.

2 They judg of things according to Sence, and their hearts are taken and affected with things according as they are to Sence.

3 And then lastly, Though they have somtimes some good motions to that which is beyond Sence, somtimes they may have some convictions, and somtimes some good affections rising in them, as the morning Cloud, and early Dew, yet the constant way and tenure of their hearts is according to Sence, and so of their lives and acti∣ons, according to what they see, what they feel.

The End they propound to themselves is the good of Sence.

The Rule by which they judg, it is Sence.

That which takes their hearts, it is Sence.

The main work of their lives, it is for some good of Sence.

And though they have some Convictions, and some good Affections some times about things beyond Sence, yet the constant By as and stream of their hearts is accor∣ding to Sence: This is a description of a great many men, and the Course of most people, and I fear that many of

your Consciences will tell you that this hath been your way.

Wicked men they are set upon the sight of their Eyes; Esau saw the Pottage that it was red, he was taken with the ••ight of his Eyes; so he was acted by Sight: For the Priviledges of the Birth-right was beyond sight, and he did not order his Course according to that, that indeed was an Object of his Faith: But the Po••••age that was so red, that the Text saith, he saw it, and so he went accor∣ding to that: And the holy Spirit in Heb. 12. brands him for a prophane man, and bids all take heed of being pro∣phane as Esau was that sold his Birth-right for a mess of Pottage; Hence he is four or five times branded with, This is Edom: Many such Edomites how adaies that prefer Earth before Heaven; a Swine-sty before a San∣ctuary, as the Gaderens: Their part in Paris before their part in Paradice, as the carnal Cardinal. Vale lumen amicum said Theotimus, farewel Eyes if I may not drink and do worse, ye are no eyes for me; he would ra∣ther lose his Eyes than his Sin: Oh take heed of sensual∣ness. In the Epistle of Jude, verse 19. the Apostle makes a Sensual man, and one that hath not the Spirit to be all one; noting that every man that hath not the Spirit of God to act and guide him, is sensual, and led according to Sence: these be they who separate them∣selves, sensual, having not the Spirit. I confess the word in the Original includes both these Things that I am speaking of, Walking according to Sence, and accor∣ding to Natural Reason; and it's the same word that is used for a Natural man in the Corinthians, A Natural man perceiveth not the things of God, a man that is a∣cted by Sence, and hath meerly Natural apprehension of things: Wicked men they are carried by Sence, both yong and old; in Eccles. 11. 9. Rejoyce O yong man in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the da••es of thy youth, and walk in the waies of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: You will say, here yong men are

bidden to walk according to their hearts, and according to the sight of their Eyes, I but it is in a way of Irony, it doth carry with it a severe reprehension, Do if you dare; like as God said to Balaam, Rise up and go to Balak, Numb. 22. 20. That is, Go, if thou thinkest it good; Go, sith thou wilt needsly go; but thou goest upon thy death. Let no man imagine that it ever came in the Preachers heart here, Oleum camino addere, to ad fuel to the fire of youthful lusts, to encite yong people (unruly enough of themselves) to take their ful swing of sinful pleasures. But by an ironical Concession the wise man bids the yong man rejoyce, &c. yields him what he would have, by way of mockage, and bitter scoff, like as Elias jeered the Baalites, bidding them cry aloud un∣to their drowsie or busie god; or as Micaiah bad Ahah, Go up against Ramoth Gilead, and prosper: or as our Savior bad his drowsie Disciples, Sleep on now, and take your rest, Mark, 14. 41. viz. if you can at least, or have any mind to it with so many Bils & Halberts about your ears. So the Preacher seems to speak, as sometimes you use to say to those you reprehend sharply; I, go on and do thus, and see what will come of it at last; that's the mea∣ning of that Text. Yong men, you are set upon the waies of your own hearts, according to Sence, and the sight of your Eyes, you see a great deal of Bravery and Gallantry in the world, and whereby you shall come to live jocund and merry lives, your minds are upon that, and you will walk according to the sight of your eyes: when you see other yong men brave, and merry, and jo∣cund, and gallant, O you think that's a brave life: well, go on, But remember that God will bring you to Judg∣ment for all this: It notes that their hearts are mightily set upon this, to do according to the sight of their Eyes, and according to what is sutable to their own spirits: And so you know the Apostle John calls Covetousness, The Sight of the Eyes; there's the Lusts of the Flesh, the Pride of Life, and the Sight of the Eyes: The world

is much acted by the sight of the Eyes; for Riches, that's the sight of the eyes, and Pleasures here in this place of Eccles. is a living according to the sight of ones eyes: And this is the way of carnal hearts, They live according to Sence; that is, they see the things that are before them sutable▪ unto the Flesh, and that takes their hearts; they see what the world runs after, and that their hearts are upon, and they see the Saints they suffer hard things, those that walk most strictly, yet they suffer as hard things as any; and they see wicked men that live accor∣ding to the Flesh, that they prosper as well as any: These things are before them in sight, and this takes their hearts much; whatsoever is said to the contrary, they see it, and are sensible of pleasures and delights to the Flesh, and that which is the Object of Sence, that's real to them, and as for that of Faith, that they look upon as a Notion and Imagination, but the Object of Sence, that's real and certain.

And then the things of Sence they are Present, they enjoy them now; but the things of Faith they must stay for they know not when, and to have them they cannot tell how; but for those of Sence they see they may have them at present, and they find them good unto them∣selves: And upon this they walk according to Sight.

CHAP. III.

Shewing the great evil of walking by Sence. 1 It is beneath a rational Creature, who hath his Reason given him to correct Sense in Natural things; and in things that concern his everlasting Hap∣piness also, at least negatively, to shew him wherein his felicity doth not consist. 2 It is infinitely be∣neath the Spirit of Wisdom. 3 They who are a∣cted by Sence, are liable to continual temptations, because the Devil gets into the Rational Soul by the Sensitive first. 4 Men living by Sence, are besotted and without God in the world, very un∣likely to come to good because the way of Gods bringing to eternal Life, is above Reason, and a∣bove and contrary to Sence; and they who never mind an higher end in the way of their lives shall perish.

NOw this is a very great Evil, for men to have their hearts taken by what they see with their eyes, and by what their Sence tels them to be pleasant and delight∣ful to them: Oh that I could but make you see the evil of this; abundance of good might come of it, for certainly it's this that is the undoing of thousand thousands of souls: This thing that I am here treating about, is the undoing almost of all the world, The walking by Sight and by Sence. Oh how many have been deluded this way, and at length they have come by their woful experi∣ence to see the evil of this! When they have been upon their sick bed, and death bed, what hath been that which

they have cried out of most? Oh such things were so pleasant to Sence, and me thoughts they were so fine and brave to mine eyes, and I was carried by that, and now God shews them otherwise to me. Oh that we could but apprehend things now as one day we shall apprehend them: that man or woman hath received great mercie from God, that hath now the same apprehension of things as one day they shall have. There's a great evil in this, To go according to the Sight of our eyes.

1 For this is beneath a Rational Creature; What hath God set Reason in Man for, but to correct their Sence, and especially in matters that do concern their chief good? I beseech you observe it, Reason is a great help to correct Sence in many things.

As you know in Natural things, Reason can correct Sence there: A Country man that is only carried by Sence, he thinks that the Sun is no bigger than his Cart Wheel, by Sence it appears no bigger: But those that understand the Principles of Astronomy, they can by Reason demonstrate as plainly as twice Two is Four, That the Sun is bigger than the whol Earth: Reason will correct Sence in Natural things; Reason certainly will help much to correct Sence in things that concern mans happiness, and mans everlasting Good, especially when it comes to be Sanctified: But Reason at least ne∣gatively, will shew a man wherein his happiness doth not consist; it will tell us certainly, That the Happiness of one that hath an immortal soul, it's not the same happi∣ness that a ••ruit hath, to eat and drink, it's not to play, certainly God hath not given a man a Rational and Im∣mortal Soul meerly that it should be serviceable to the Body, to be (as the Phylosopher saith of the soul of the Swine) as Salt to keep the F••esh from stinking; Rea∣son wi•• ••el a nian that there is a higher good that man is capable of, than Sence, ••or that's but common with a ••ruit Beast; therefore it's a great evil to be acted by Sence.

2 Then if it be below a Rational Creature, Oh how much is it beneath the holy Spirit of God, that is the Spi∣rit of Wisdom and Holiness! And if thou beest guided by Sence;

First, Thou wilt have Heathens to be witnesses against thee, that are acted by a higher way, By Reason.

But then thou art infinitely beneath those that are a∣cted by Gods Spirit: Art thou the man or woman that hast the Spirit of God dwelling in thee to be thy guide continually? If ever thou beest sav'd, I say thou must be Acted and Guided by the Holy Spirit of God.

Further, Whosoever walks by Sight, they are liable to thousand thousands of Temptations continually; Oh the danger that they are in of temptations, what a snare do they walk upon! The Sences of men are the wide doors by which the Devil comes into their souls, he doth come into the Rational Soul by the Sensitive first, and if he gets into the Sence, and prevails there, he will get into Reason and prevail there: The Eyes, Oh what Casements are they to let in the Devil by; how many men and women (as the Scripture speaks) have eyes full of Adultery, that cannot cease from sin? Saith Christ, when thou lookest upon a woman to lust after her, thou hast committed Adultery in thy heart: Oh those Case∣ments let in wonderful evils into the soul: What was that which let in the first temptation that ever was in the World? It was the Sight of the Eyes: Eve saw the Fruit, she saw it was desirable for Knowledg: the first temptation that ever was in the world, was let in by the Sight of the Eyes. Oh Brethren, take h••ed of the Sight of the Eyes, the Devil comes in there; you are not wil∣ling to leave open your Doors and Casements in the night where Theeves may come in, but you bolt and shut them, and have wooden windows to keep your Case∣ments that they come not in there: Oh we had need be careful of our ••yes, and had need have somthing to shut

them that the Devil comes not in there; Oh the wonder∣ful uncleanness and filthiness that comes in by the sight of the Eyes, and so at all other Sences, there comes in a great deal of Evil: And so when the Devil sees that a man or woman is carried by Sence, he can easily prevail with Temptations: Oh it's a dangerous thing for people to live by Sence.

In the next place, If thou livest by Sence, thou art ve∣ry unlikely ever to come to good; for the way of God in bringing men to Eternal Life, is a way high above Rea∣son, as shall be shewed; but much more above Sence: It is not above only, but Contrary to Sence, and there∣fore if thou beest a man that art given to thine Appetite, given to follow the sight of thine Eyes, given to Sence, it's very unlikely that thou should'st come to any thing that's good: And hence it is that those that are led by Sence, have very slight thoughts of the waies of God, and they are the great scorners and enemies of Religion, as we reade in Philip. 3. 18. For many walk (he speaks of those that walk by Sence) who are they? They are Enemies to the Cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their Belly, and whose glory is their shame, who mind Earthly things: These are they that are ene∣mies to the Cross of Christ; for Sence hinders Reason, much more hinders Grace: In Hosea, 4. there you read of those that liv'd according to Sence, at verse 11. Whore∣dom and Wine, and new Wine take away the heart: they are not capable of receiving Good while they live according to Sence: I will not enlarge my self to treat of a Sensual Life, but only touch it, to shew the evil of li∣ving according to Sence.

It besots men extreamly; such men as live according to sence, they have extream miry and besotted spirits: we read of those Waters in Ezek. 47. the Waters of the Sanctuary, that they had power to heal, but in vers. 11. The miry places thereof, and the marishes thereof, shall not be healed, they shall be given to salt. The miry

places: These may fitly resemble sensual men; they have miry hearts, they are like the Marishes that are not heal'd by the waters of the Sanctuary: The Word of God doth little good to sensual people.

Further, Those that live according to Sence, live with∣out a God in the world, they give themselves up to lusts with greediness, and as for a God, and a Deity, they mind not him: They live as a Godless, Christless people.

And they shal die and perish, their end is destruction: And you know what the Apostle saith in Rom. 8. 13. He that lives after the flesh, shall die; that is, he shal pe∣rish eternally. It's a most dreadful Text, and I admire that those men that are led according to sence in the course of their lives, how they can read that Scripture without horror of conscience, in verse 8. and 13. In the 8. So then, they that are in the flesh, cannot please God; it's cal'd flesh because that sin is acted so much by the sensitive part: and then in the 13. verse, If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: Now to live after the flesh, it is to live after the Sensitive pleasures, that give content to the flesh, and those things that are sutable to the flesh: Now how do most men in the course of their lives act? nothing but flesh, and that which is sutable to flesh, that they bless themselves in: they have more to give content to the flesh than others have. As now, take some men that have a good estate, and live on their means; what's their lives better than others? the flesh indeed hath more plea∣sures than others, they have finer Houses, or sweeter Gardens, or softer Cloathes; and then the Appetite is more pleased, they have better Food, and can eat and drink more delicately than others, which they account their happiness: here's a man that lives by Sence, and this man is like to perish for ever. If you come to know no higher good, and you do not mind in the way of your lives any higher end than that which is according to sence, you are those that shall perish eternally. Indeed the Walk of Sence is very pleasant, but it's a dangerous

Walk, and the end of it certainly wil be death: Oh that you would consider of this, and be humbled for walking according to the sight of your eyes: Oh look back to the vanity of your Youths; Yong people usually walk so: Oh look back, get alone and examine your hearts and lives: why Lord am not I toucht by this Word? did it not concern me? I find that men of the world they walk according to Sence, and that which is pleasant to sence; Oh Lord, it hath been my way for a great part of my life: and any of you that do thus walk to this day, Oh that the Lord would smight you, that you might come to see the evil of it, of walking according to the sight of your eyes: Your eyes wil be opened one day to see the evil of it, if they be not now.

And no mervail though the Word doth so little good to many people, the ground is because they walk accor∣ding to the sight of their eyes, according to their sence: lay to thy heart that Scripture that was named in the 11. of Eccles. If thy heart he set according to the sight of thine eyes, God wil bring thee to Judgment: For all those pleasant things that hath delighted thy sences in the course of thy life, the Lord wil bring thee to Judgment: That man or woman that hath had the greater pleasure to sence, shal have the greater account to give the Lord; thou must give account of all thy sweet morsels, and of all thy stoollen waters one day, and therefore be careful now to give way no further to thy Sence than that thou maiest be able to give a comfortable account of, if thou wert call'd before the Lord the while this Book is in thy hand, and thou a reading of it.

CHAP. IV.

The Saints walk not by Sence. 1 They give no li∣berty to the eyes of their Bodies or thoughts to be∣hold vanity, but pluck out the corruption of their Eyes. 2 They hold on their course though things seem to go never so cross according to sence. 3 They cannot by sence apprehend those great things that take their hearts most. 4 They walk not by Sence in respect of spiritual things, but by Faith, in the exercise whereof, God hath his chief glory upon Earth.

WELL, But though thou doest walk thus, yet the Saints do not; they judg not of things according to what they see with their Eyes, nor accor∣ding to what they feel; but they judg as Christ judged, for the Saints certainly are acted by Christs Spirit; and see what the Spirit of Jesus Christ is in the 11. of Isa. in verse 2. it's said, That the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of Wisdom and Ʋnderstanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Might, the Spirit of Know∣ledg of the fear of the Lord: here's the Spirit of a Saint, for they have a measure of the Spirit of Christ: Now in verse 3. this, saith the Text, shall make him of quick un∣derstanding in the fear of the Lord, and he shall not judg

after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hea∣ring of his Ears: he shal not be carried according to what appears to Sence, But with Righteousness shall he judg the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the Earth, and he shall smite the Ea••th with the rod of his mouth. If he should judg after the sight of his Eyes, then those that are poor people, he would despise; those that are meek ones, and do put up wrongs, he would not regard; what's the reason that people that are mean and poor, though never so godly, are so despised by those that are Carnal? this is, because they judg by the sight of their eyes: But now saith the Text, Christ shall not judg by the sight of his Eyes; How then? But with Righteousness shall he judg the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek: he shall esteem them as high and honorable as the greatest and mightiest men in the world, and therefore you see how this was fulfilled in the 5. of Math. when Christ came to shew who were blessed, he begins thus, Blessed are the Poor, and the Meek, and the Mourners: If Christ had judged by the sight of his Eyes, he would never have judged so: I make no question but he means those that are outwardly poor, and yet those that are godly; that is, those that are out∣wardly poor, and yet have a Spirit to glorifie God in that poor condition: for you shal find in the 6. of Luke, where ••hat Sermon is again, he doth not say poor in spirit there, but blessed are ye poor; he saw that the Disciples were to suffer much afflictions, and to be poor; therefore in pre∣paring of them, for that he saith, blessed are ye poor; that is, though ye ••e poor in this world, yet having hearts willing to submit to God, & to honor God in that poor condition, blessed are ye poor, ye are more blessed than if you had the greatest Honor and Riches in the world: he did no•• judg by the sight of his eyes. So Christians that are baptized with Christs Spirit, walk as Christ walked: therfore you find Job professing how 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he was from b••ing acted by sight in his way, in Job,

31. 7. If my step hath turned out of the way, and my heart walked after mine eyes, &c. Then let me sow, and let another reap: and in the beginning of the Chapter there he professes that he had made •• Covenant with his eyes: Oh its a notable Scripture this. He made a Co∣venant with his eyes, and his heart walked not after his eyes: but mark verse 2. For (saith he) what portion of God is there from above? and what Inheritance of the Almighty from on high? this Scripture if God would but transcribe it on our spirits, it might be a means of a great de••l of good, for I verily am perswaded, though some may be guilty more grosly than others, yet there is never a one in this place, but are very guilty of the evil of following the sight of their eyes, and abundance of sin hath been let in by the sight of the eyes, as you have read already. Now look to it, do not think it's a light matter, though perhaps you think, Oh God forbid that I should commit such an act of sin as the sight of mine eyes doth occasion, no, I hope I am far from that: but mark what Job saith, For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high? As if he should say, Lord, if I did give liberty to this, I were in danger never to have any portion from thee, nor ever to have any inheritance from the most high. And what doth it give you so much content to wander after the sight of your eyes, as that you wil ven∣ture your portion in the Almightie, and lose your inhe∣ritance in the most High, never to have any good in him? this were a desperate thing, and yet truly so you do; those men and women that follow the sight of their eyes, I say, so they do; and if there were no other sin but this, this were enough for ever to deprive you of God, that you should never have any portion in him: Oh learn upon this Scripture to do as Job did then, to make a Covenant; no marvel though he made a Cove∣nant, for he speaks as if so be he should express himself thus, I indeed have been convinced divers times, That

to follow the sight of mine eyes, is a dangerous evil, yet I sind my heart would be working that way until I was fain to come to a peremptory resolution, that I would not (the Lord assisting me) do so, and to make a Co∣venant, for I see I am undone else: Oh that God would but cause this thought to stick in the heart of some man or woman, to conclude with themselves, Indeed, I con∣fess my conscience tels me, that my eyes have let in a great deal of evil to me, and I have thought that I would not take that liberty as formerly I have done; but now I see I am a lost soul for ever, except I be more careful of the sight of mine eyes: Job when he was in his greatest affli∣ctions, one would have thought, if at any time his Con∣science would have stir'd to have accused him for wal∣king after the sight of his eyes, it would have been now; no, but in his greatest afflictions, and when his friends did charge him of so great evils that he was guilty of because they did walk according to the sight of their eyes; no, but he could say, If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walk after mine eyes, &c. Oh that you could but say so, and that you would be now so careful of the sight of your eyes, that when you shall he upon your dying pillow, you may be able to appeal to God, Lord, thou knowest I have not▪ walked accor∣ding to the sight of mine eyes: So that you see the Saints do not walk according to the sight of their eyes, nor ac∣cording to Sence, no, they have mortified the flesh, and crucified the lusts of it; the work of Grace consists in mortifying the flesh, and beating down the body; and so David saith in Psal. 119. Lord, turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity: it's a very excellent Scrip∣ture, and you should do well to take Davids Prayer, and this one Petition to God dayly, in vers. 31. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and quicken thou me in thy way: David would fain walk with God; Oh Lord, when I am in the way walking with thee, I find this hinders me very much, Lord, my eyes will be

wandering after vanity, and I am dull in thy way, but Lord, turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; it is not said, Lord, keep me that my heart shall not be taken with vanitie; but Lord, turn away mine eyes from be∣holding vanity: David was careful not so much as to look at vanitie; there's many have their Consciences so far convinc'd, Oh I wil not follow vanity, I but they do not make conscience of having their eyes turned away from vanitie: this holy man was necessitated to pray to God, and without Gods great help you wil not be able to do this, for the eye is a quick thing: O Lord turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and quicken me in thy way; as if he should say, O Lord, it's this that makes me so dull that I cannot walk with thee: you somtimes have wondered at your selves, what a dead heart have I in the waies of God, though God hath convinc'd me of the excellencie of them, and I have had some sence of the sweetness, and goodness of them heretofore, but O Lord what's the matter? Do you ask what's the matter? tru∣ly I hope God wil tel you this, what it is, your eyes run after vanity, it m••y be not after filthiness and unclean∣ness, as the eyes of some, but vanitie, you have given li∣bertie to your eyes to look after vanitie, to the eyes of your bodie, and the eyes of your thoughts, after this idle thing, and the other vain thing; this is enough to dead your hearts in that which is good, and you will never have a quick and lively spirit in that wh••ch is good till you come to make conscience of looking after vanity; and therfore pray to God to turn away your eyes from beholding vanitie, that so you may be more quick in the Law of God, in the waies of Holiness.

And you know what a charge our Savior gives, If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out: our Savior doth ex∣press the [right Eye] to shew that men may be carried many times by the eye to things that are evil, and it's ve∣ry pleasing to the eye; but though it be thine eye that is set upon things never so dear; better be without thine

eye than to suffer thine eye to run after that which is va∣nity, not that he should pluck out his bodily eye, that's not the meaning, but get out the corruption of the eye: And so far as to account it a better thing to be without the eye; it were better for many men and women, that they were blind than that they should give so much li∣bertie to their eyes, to look after such vanities as indeed they do; Though Christ would not have us to lay vio∣lent hands upon our selves, yet he so speaks that we should be very careful, though we get never such con∣tent by it, and though it be very deer to us, yet to labor to pluck out the corruption of our eyes: A Godly man we see therefore walks not according to the sight of his Eyes.

As thus, Further, Though things seem to the eye to go never so cross yet a godly man doth not alter his way; as if Paul should say, I confess if we should walk accor∣ding to what we see in the world, we should never hold our course of Christianity, we see the Promises are not fulfill'd, but quite contrary: we see the waies of God as they appear to the eye to be quite contrary to what he hath said in the Word, we should be at amaze now if we should look according to what we see with our eyes; we see that the most precious Saints of God are persecuted, and hated, and if we should look at things according to the eye we should quite change our course; we see the wicked and ungodly prosper, and what now should we go according to the sight of our eyes? Oh no, let us see the wicked prosper never so much, and the Godly affli∣cted and persecuted, it's all one to us, we go on in our way. Oh it's this that keeps the hearts of the Saints close to God and to his waies, when they do not judg of things according to the eyes; and therefore if you would keep close, and deliver your selves from temptations, consider seriously from this; and blessed be he that can beleeve al∣though he sees not.

But many have not such power of Faith as to get be∣yond

the Eyes; surely that Faith that cannot get beyond Sence, is a poor and a weak Faith; there is not that pre∣ciousness in thy Faith, as the Scripture speaks of if it can∣not overcome the eyes.

Furthermore, We walk by Faith, and nor by Sence; we by our Sences do not apprehend those great things that take our hearts most; we cannot by our eyes see God, we may see some works of his indeed; we cannot see those Mantions that are prepared for us; we cannot see Jesus Christ our Savior, our Husband, our Head; we cannot see those Crowns of Glory: we do not walk by sight, that is, Because we cannot see those Spiritual things, therfore to be discouraged in our way; what though God, and Christ, and Heaven, and those Manti∣ons, and Crowns of Glory be not objects of our eyes, yet we go on in our way for all this.

I, saith a Carnal heart, if we could see these things, you speak of Heaven, but can you see any thing beyond the Sun, Moon, and Stars? you speak of the place of the blessed, I but who ever saw it? and of Mansions and Crowns of Glory, but who ever saw them? Now be∣cause they cannot be seen, therefore carnal hearts do not regard them: I but though our eyes cannot act upon Spiritual things, yet we go on in our way: You know the people of Israel came to Moses and said, Make us gods that may go before us; they would have somthing that they might see: Now saith he, we do not walk ac∣cording to the sight of our eyes; though we cannot see God, yet we beleeve in him; though we canot see Christ, yet we love him; though we cannot see those Mantions, yet we beleeve them, and they are real to our Faith though we have not the sence of them: As now, God pro∣mi••es great things, yet many times we have not the sence of Gods Love, and we have not the sence of those Spiritual things that God hath promised, we do not feel them in our hearts, indeed somtimes God doth reflesh us with the sence of his Love, and somtimes our eyes are even o∣pen,

as Stephen can see Christ at the right hand of the Father, but at other times in regard of Spiritual Sence, we are in darkness, and God seems to appear against us as an enemy: now if we had nothing to walk by but by Sight, what should we do? We find that somtimes God seems to come against us, we find in our souls mightie griefs, and sorrows, and troubles, and the Joyes of God are gone from us; Oh now we were undone if we walked according to sence: Oh no, but we have help of our Faith, when al Sence and Sight fails. And I mention this now, because we shall ground much upon it when we come to shew how the Saints do walk by Faith; when they do want sence, not only outward sences to encou∣rage them, but the inward sence of the Love and favor of God, yet then they walk by Faith: It's true, the men of the world know not any thing but by the outward sences; when they are afflicted, and feel pain in their bo∣dies, then they feel by sence that which is very grievous to them; but the Saints are afflicted in their sences with Spiritual things, that is, they feel the want of Gods Love, and of Mercy, and Sweetness; they feel the want of the presence of God, and yet we go on, we have not only help to our selves when the things to our bodies seems to go cross; It's true indeed that Godliness hath the pro∣mise of this Life, and of that which is to come, but we find according to our sences otherwise; well, Faith wil help there, and we walk by Faith.

And then to the sence of our souls, in respect of the loss of Gods presence, that's more grievous, and the sad∣ness of our Spirits that comes that way; Oh the dark daies that we have when we lose al sight there, yet there comes in Faith and help too, for we walk by faith, and not by sight: As now, here I shall shew by divers exam∣ples how the Saints have not walked by sight in respect of Spiritual things: Consider, Abraham, if he had wal∣ked by sence, it had been ill with him; no, but it was by Faith: when God made these two great Promises to

Abraham, That he would give him the Land of Canaan, and make his Seed as the Stars of Heaven: If after these two were made, he had walked by Sight or Sence, he had been in an ill case: For the first thing that we reade of Abraham after God had made that Promise to him; Abraham as soon as ever he went into the Land of Ca∣naan was ready to starve and was forced to fly into the Land of Egypt to keep himself from starving, and yet this was the Land that should flow with Milk and Ho∣ney, as a motive to him to forsake his Fathers House and Kindred: I but Abraham had Faith to help him here. And ••o for the other Promise, that he would make his Seed as the Stars of Heaven; Abraham, after this Pro∣mise was made to him, was twenty years, and had never a Child: now if he had walked by sight, what would have been become of him, both he and his wife being grown old? And after Isaac was born that was the only Son of the Promise, yet Isaac must be sacrificed: If he had had no other principle but Sence, what had become of him? he walked not by Sence. And so afterwards Isaac he was forty years before he marries, and was for∣tie years without a Child. And so I might instance in David, he had the Promise of a Kingdom, and he was accounted to be the King of Israel: the next thing you read of David is, that Saul the King doth persecute him to take away his life, he was hunted up and down like a Partridg in the Wilderness; and at one time Sence began to prevail with David, One day I shall perish by the hand of Saul; And in my hast I did say that all men were lyars; that the Prophet and al were lyars; Oh but it was in his hast: Sence prevail'd now, and Faith seems to be dead: But at other times you shall see his Faith exceeding strong, he walks by Faith, and not by Sence. We shall shew more afterwards when we come to the excellencie of the walk of Faith: And so if you read Psal. 88. of Heman, which was a Godly man, yet he had that which was contrary to Sence all his daies; if

he had walked according to sence, he had been the most miserable man that could be▪ he suffered the terrors of God from his youth up, and he was even di••••racted a∣gain: when he gave but a little way to Sence, yet the Lord carr••ed him on: And so I might hint to you divers Scriptures where the Church is afflicted, and tost up and down, so that if it should have gone according to sence, it would have been undone. Oh the very naming of these things unto you, wil shew the necessitie, and excellencie of the Point of walking by Faith, and not by Sence▪ now this the Lord would have his Servants do, because the more Spiritual Sence they have, the less Faith they have ordinarily, and Faith doth not appear in the acts of it when there is so much Spiritual Sence▪ we would fain have sence, and it is a lovely and excellent thing; but God sees that for the most part, when we have the most Sence, we have the less Faith, and so we are ready to rest upon our Sence: Observe this one thing, There is no∣thing more in Gods design while we live here upon Earth than the advancing of his Glorie in the work of Faith▪ Though God hath his Glorie in the exercise of al Graces, yet above al in the exercise of Faith. We would fain give God Glory by our enlargements in prayer, and by our joy, and going on cheerfully in the course of our lives, and by prospering in our way, and carrying on all businesses before us: If alwaies the Church might pros∣per▪ and her enemies be down, and the Saints live joyful∣ly, and all things that they undertake, they might carry before them without any contradiction; you think Gods Glory would be set out that way; Oh you are childish and foolish to think so; no saith God, but rather let me hide my self, and the Saints be in want of my presence, then wil they act Faith, the naked acts of Faith wil then appear, Faith wil then appear in its own proper vertue: as i•• God should say, I do not see Faith in its own Ge∣nuine, and naked proper Vertue when there is sence joy∣ned withal. How doth it appear that these live by

Faith rather than by Sence, when they have such encou∣ragements by Sence? No, I wil ther••ore take away these things, and that for this end, That I may have my Name glori••••ed by the work of Faith: And this I verily be∣leeve is the cause of the sad conditions of the Saints in this world, and why things go so cross, and the Saints are per∣secuted, and the wicked prevail so in their designs, It is upon this ground, That God may advance Faith: From the infinite delight that God hath in the Grace of Faith rather than in o••her Graces; and the rather because it is a Grace that God shall have the Glory of in this life only, it wil cease in the life to come: Now God having the Glory of this only▪ in this world, therefore it is that he wil put them much to the actings of it: which will be discovered more when we come to shew the walking of the Saints by Faith.

To conclude this for the present about walking by this Spiritual Sence.

CHAP. V.

An Admonition to yong Converts, that think the in∣crease and decrease of Sence and Joy is the encrease and decrease of Grace.

IF so be that this be the walk of the Saints not walking by Sence, I beseech you, you that are yong Converts to whom God doth give Sence for the present, lay this Truth up, you wil have ••••e of it if you live: 'tis com∣mon when God converts the soul at first, he doth encou∣courage

it by the Sence of his Love, with abundance of sence and joy; I but they have not so much Faith as o∣thers have less sence afterwards; but if you be not careful you wil be ready to rest upon this sence and joy, and to think that according to the increase of this, so is the in∣crease of Grace; and according to the decrease of it, is the decrease of Grace; I but you judg as children in this: Oh therefore take this Caveat, you that are beginning in the waies of God, and have sence, Oh lay up for a rainy day; it's not the way of God to bring his Saints to Hea∣ven the way of Sence, no, but the way is by Faith; and think thus, through Gods mercie I have some Sence of his love; I but this may▪ not alwaies be, alas, these are but like bladders which you make use of when you would teach a yong swimmer, he must not expect to have his bladders alwaies; afterwards when he is a little exerci∣sed, he that learns him, suddenly snatches away his blad∣ders, and leaves him without them, then he scrabbles and gets up, and afterwards he can tread the water, and swim better without them than with them: Just so at first God doth as it were put sence underneath to uphold his People even like unto bladders; God hath his time to take away these bladders, and you shall have nothing in the world to live upon but Faith, and if God doth enable you to live by Faith, it will be a better life than the other was: 'Tis in this case as in the Work of Nature; Chil∣dren you know when they are first born, they grow migh∣tily for a little time; you shall have a Child born but a month ago shoo••s up very much, but after it comes to more maturitie, it doth not shut up so much in so little a time; and the reason may be given, That the Child co∣ming out of the Mothers Womb where it lay hot and warm, and coming to the Air where it's colder, that may be one Reason, that except Nature should no•• put forth its self ver••e much, it would not be able to live. And so it is in the Work of Grace, in the change that God make•• in the heart; Because at first there's a great deal of op∣position,

and the Saints are but weak, therefore God to help and strengthen them doth give them Sence: after∣wards when they come to riper years, and grow to better understanding in the waies of God, they shal not think to shoot up so high in so little a time; that is, so sensible as that others may perceive it. Thus the Lord doth supply according to our necessitie both in Nature and in Grace; and therefore let this be laid up: Oh you that have sence at any time, do not think that you must be alwaies so, do not think that God will alwaies dandle you as it were upon his knee: As at the first, you will dandle your Children upon your knee; but afterwards you will put them to school, and cause them to wait upon you at your Table, but not because you love them less afterwards than you did before, no, but because as they grow up they must live by other Principles; they live by Sence at first, and therefore you only please their sences; but as they grow up they come to have a harder kind of life▪ And so it is with Gods Children, though the Lord dan∣dles them at first, and they live rather a life of Sence, though it be Spiritual Sence; but yet as they grow up more and more, they come to live harder and harder, be∣cause the Lord would have them to exercise Faith.

Consider of this, and make use of it; you that are Christians find the need of it in the course of your lives.

The Principle that Saints have, is beyond the sight of Reason: And that we are likewise to speak to in the same manner as to the former.

First, Beyond the sight of Natural Reason.

Secondly, Beyond Spiritual Reason. The Saints are so far from resting upon things that are sutable to Natu∣ral Reason, and from being guided by that, as they are beyond even Spiritual, and that which is Sanctified Knowledg. Faith is beyond that.

For the First,

CHAP. VI.

Worldly men walk according to what they apprehend to be Reason, and that's their happiness; and 'tis good in the way of Justice between man and man, not in Gods Worship and Eternal Happiness. Five Expressions how they are acted by Reason in the course of their lives, and in Gods Worship.

INdeed the men of the World, those that are in their Natural Estate; their walk is according to their eyes, according to what they apprehend to be Reason.

First, The happiness and highest good that they have, it is but that which in a way of Reason they apprehend, and no higher; and therefore but Natural.

And then their course and way is suted according to what principles of Reason they have: and if there be any thing propounded to them in the Walk with God that is not sutable to their Natural Reason that they do reject: A mans Natural Reason, if he be but guided by the Rules of it, may help him to converse with men very much in the waies of Justice between man and man: But when he comes to deal with God in matters of his Eternal Estate, and of Divine Worship, there let him look to himself that he be not acted by his Reason, for he will be undone if he be.

Therefore first I shall shew you how Carnal hearts are acted by Reason in the course of their lives, and especial∣ly in the way of Gods Worship.

And Secondly, How this is not a good Rule to walk by.

And then thirdly, The danger that there is in wal∣king according to the Rules of mens Reasons. And so apply that.

And then come to treat about Sanctified Knowledg.

For the first, I find Five notable Expressions of carnal hearts to shew how they are acted by their own Rea∣son.

As first, They lean to their own Ʋnderstanding: In Prov. 3. 5. there's a Caution, Lean not to thine own Ʋnderstanding; nothing that men naturally do lean to their own Understandings, it's that which doth support them and prop them up; let them come and hear from the Word, things that are against them, yet they lean to their own Understandings, and regard that rather than the Word; and in Hosea 13. speaking how they worshi∣ped God, in vers. 2. And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten Images of their silver, and Idols according to their own understanding: They had a way of Gods Worship set out unto them in the Word, but that would not serve them, but they must go accor∣ding to their own understandings: Oh this hath been the way of carnal mens worshiping of God in all Ages; what kind of Worship and Service of God had we of late, but according to mens own Understandings? and therefore we used to say, Me thinks this is very good, and there's no hurt in such and such things, but they are very decent and comely; I but that's according to your own Under∣standings: that should not be the way of Gods Worship, but according to the Word: Hereupon General Coun∣sels and Synods have seldom been successful about the Matters of Gods Worship, because men came with con∣fidence, leaning to their own Understandings. That's the first Phrase when men go according to their own Un∣derstandings.

The Second is, According to the Imagination of their own hearts; and that you have in Jer. 9. 14. Oh they

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

would walk according to the imagination of their own hearts, rather than according to what was revealed unto them by the Word.

The Third expression is, The walking according to their own Counsels: they would walk according to the Plots, and Imaginations, and Counsels of mens minds, ra∣ther, than to follow the Counsel of the Word; and that you have in Psal. 81. 12. They walked in their own Counsels; and indeed God in Judgment gave them up to their own Counsels.

The Fourth Phrase is, According to their own Thoughts: In Isa. 65. 2. it's a very remarkable Scrip∣ture. The Reason of the wickedness of men, and why they did resist all the offers of Grace, and the Imitations of Christ was this, Because they did walk according to their own thoughts. I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people: God here complains, All the day long (saith he) I have spread out my hands; To whom? To a rebellious people: How came they to be so rebellious, and not to profit by Gods spreading out his hands? As a man when he is earnest about a thing, spreads out his hands to imbrace another; so God in the offers of Grace spreads out his hands readie to imbrace wretched sinners, but they are Rebels for al this: From whence comes al this? saith the Text in the next words, Which walketh in a way that was not good; what way was that? After their own thoughts: Oh lay up this Scripture and remember it; take heed of walking in a way after your own thoughts, you think it's a good way, but the way after your own thoughts, is an evil way, a rebellious way, it's that which makes you to be Rebels against God: How many men and women when they have some truths darted into their Spirits, that do begin to shew unto them that the way that they have walked in heretofore, hath not been good? Then they begin to think thus and thus, If I change this way, I shall have a deal of trouble in it, and I shal lose this and the other, and it will not be com∣fortable

to me, and so according to their own thoughts they wil order their way; Oh this is a dangerous walk to walk in a way according to our own thoughts: I be∣seech thee poor soul take heed of your own thoughts, for there's nothing more dangerous to undo you than your own thoughts, and because they are so near to men, they let them in, and dandle their own thoughts, but those thoughts that thou pleasest thy self many times in, are the thoughts that are like to undo thee for ever: They walk according to their own thoughts.

The Fift Expression of Scripture is, That They are wise in their own eyes: and so you have it in Isa. 5. 21. and so in divers places in the Prov. This is to walk by Sight, to walk according to the apprehension of mens own Reason; but the Apostle did not, nor dar'd walk so: This is one main thing in the walking according to this sight and Reason; that is, such as are led according to what they see, working in a Natural way, by Natural Causes: A man that lives by the Candle light of Reason looks no further than Second Causes, if he sees Second Causes working thus and thus, then he will go that way, and follow the tract of Second Causes: Now certainly so long as thy soul is tied unto a tract of Second Causes, to work according to them, thou art not acquainted with the Spiritualness of the waies of God, nor with this walk of Faith: But reason is not that which should guide us in our way.

CHAP. VII.

Reason is not that which should guide a Christian. 1 Reason not corrupted, is uncapable of the way of the Gospel. 2 Reason corrupted, is enmity with God, both in the Apprehensive and Discursive Part.

FIrst, Reason is too low a thing to be the guide of a Christian. It is inferior to the Happiness that God made man for; God hath higher thoughts about man, to bring him to an higher Happiness than Reason can reach unto: The outward Sences are too low to guide a man that would live like a Rational Creature; outward Sence is not enough to guide men in a Civil way: So Reason is too low a thing for to guide men in a way that must lead to that supernatural Happiness that God hath made the Children of men for: Take Reason though not corrupted, right Reason, I do not speak of Reason as it is corrupted, but suppose mans Reason were not corrup∣ted at all, but meerly were ordered according to what was right Reason, yet it was too low to bring thee to that glorious Estate that God made man for; yea, if thy Reason was as perfect as Adams was in Paradice, yet it would be too low; for the first man was of the Earth Earthly, and his Happiness was a kind of Earthly Hap∣piness; but that which God hath made man for now, it is a higher Happiness.

But it is too low, especially if we consider how it is corrupted: If our Reason had not received a blow, but was as perfect as Adams was in Innocencie, and did un∣derstand God, and the mind of God as Adam did, yet this could not bring us to that Happiness that God hath made man for: The way of the Gospel is higher than

Adam did understand, or than his Reason was capable of.

But our Reason is corrupted; and the Scripture tells us of the Wisdom of the Flesh, that it is enmity with God: the Wisdom, the highest part of the Flesh, as in Rom. 8. he doth not say only, that the wisdom of the flesh is an Enemy, but Enmity to God; and the carnal mind, or the wisdom of the flesh is enmity to God, for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be: Mark the opposition, It is Enmity, for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither can be; Oh what an opposi∣tion is here! And so you have another Scripture in the Epistle to the Colossians, where the Apostle speaks of the state of the Gentiles, and what they were before they were converted to God, and there he tels you, That we were enemies in our minds by wicked works: In your [Mind,] your very Reason was so corrupted as it was nothing but even enmity against God: the Appre∣hensive, and Discursive part of Reason is opposite to God, and therefore in 1 John, 5. 20. it is said there, That God hath given us understanding, a mind to know him: The word signifies the Discoursive Faculty, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Dis∣course of the Mind, and Reason, whereby we may come to know the things of God. The very Discourses of men as they are Natural, they are corrupted, the Lord sees the Thoughts of the Wise to be but vain and corrupt, and therefore you know what our Savior said, I thank thee O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, that thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent: and so saith the Apostle, Not many Wise, not many Rich, not many Mighty. And here I shal shew you,

First, The corrupt Principles that Reason carries men upon.

Secondly, How Reason is opposite and contrary to those main Spiritual Truths that should carry men on in the way to Life.

CHAP. VIII.

Reason carrieth men upon corrupt Principles. As 1 It is not good to engage too far in any Cause. 2 It is the safest way to go according to the common streams of the times, and places where we live. 3 Not to venture present things for future, certain for uncertain. 4 It is not likely that a poor con∣temptible man, should understand more than the Learned. 5 To be Happy, and to be poor and per∣secuted, are inconsistent. 6 Good meanings, and performance of good Duties, are sufficient to make us accepted of God. 7 Zeal in some beyond others, must needs come from Hypocrisie.

FIrst, How men that are guided by Reason, are carri∣ed on by corrupt Principles. As,

1 First, That it is not good for a man to engage him∣self too far in any Cause: Men that are wise for them∣selves, and are carried on by the wisdom of the flesh, they are acted by this corrupt Principle, That it is not good to be engaged in any thing too far; there may be more danger in such a thing than I am aware of, and therefore let me go on fair and softly, and not engage my self too far. This is one Principle of corrupt Reason, and I ve∣rily beleeve, that as I am naming of them, many may go along with me, and have cause to lay their hands upon their hearts, and say, the Lord be merciful to me, I have walked by sight, according to Reason, even these corrupt Principles that have in this Book been mentioned before me.

2 Secondly, It's not good to cross the stream and course of the tide where I live; it's the safest way for us

to go according to the common stream of the times and places where we live; and this is that which the Apostle in Ephes. 2. saith was the way of men while they were in their Natural Estate, In times past you walked; How? according to the course of the world; that was your walk: you saw the course of the world, how it was, and you thought in Reason it was fit to go according to the Cur∣rent: That's the Principle that acts many Polititians that are accounted the wise men of the world, they are spirited b ythat Principle.

3 A Third Principle of corrupt Reason is this, Not to venture Present things for Future, and Certain things for Uncertain: Men that are wise according to the flesh, they wil not venture things that are present, for things to come, especially looking upon things that are present as certain, and the other they imagine to be uncertain; and upon this Principle they are so acted and guided in their course that makes them put off the things of God, for the special and chief things of God, are things that are fu∣ture, and by reason they can never be made certain: in Heb. 11. it's said, Faith is the Evidence of things not seen: Now according to a principle of Reason it seems to be a foolish thing for men to venture a certain good for that which is to come, and for I know not what, and I know not when: This is against Reason, and it's that which makes the wise of the world to go on in their way, and to imbrace this present world: As it is said of De∣mus, It seems he was wise for himself, Paul told him of things for to come hereafter; but he forsakes him, and imbraces this present world.

4 A Fourth corrupt Principle of Reason is this, That it's not like that a poor contemptible man should come to understand more than the learned Rabbies and Grandees of the world: Would Reason think that, that a few poor men that are contemned in the world, and whose parts of Nature are but very low in all Earthly things, yet that these should be the men that should come to understand

the mind of God more than men that are Learned and wise in the Learning of the Egyptians, that had better Breeding and Education; this in Reason a man could ne∣ver imagine; and this is the great stumbling-block to the men of the world, They look, and see who are they that go on in such waies, not the Scribes and Pharisees, not the Rulers of the people, but the Multitude, and is this like to be the right way? Reason would tell one that 'tis not like to be the right way, Reason would inform one that the other way were more like to be the right way: Oh it would be a Mercy of God for men to be de∣livered from this corrupt Principle of Reason.

5 The Fifth is, That to be Happy, and to be Poor and Persecuted, are inconsistent: Carnal men they walk by their Sight, by their Reason, and for one to be Hap∣py, and yet to be poor and contemptible in the world, to be persecuted, and yet to be the happiest in the Earth, this is that which Reason cannot comprehend; and ther∣fore according to that Principle they walk, they cannot beleeve that Happiness and Persecution, and Poverty, and Contempt, and Scorn, can consist together; this is a Rid∣dle, a Paradox: and yet you shal observe that when the Lord Christ that is the Wisdom of the Father, and knows fully the mind of the Father, when he comes to teach us wherein Blessedness consists, he begins with Po∣verty, and ends with Persecution; read but the 5. of Matthew, and see how he begins, Blessed are ye poor; and in the 6. of Luke he leaves out poor in spirit, and ends with this, Blessed are ye when ye are persecuted for Righteousness sake.

6 A Sixth Principle of corrupt Reason is this, That good meanings, and performance of good duties, are sufficient to make one acceptable to God: A man in Reason cannot imagine what people mean to take off men from Duties, and that their good meanings are not sufficient; they wonder that good hearts and meanings, that good works, and performance of holy duties, the

living fairly and civilly, that the performance of these things should not make them acceptable to God, they cannot compass this; this is a corrupt Principle that ma∣ny go by.

7 Another corrupt Principle of Reason is this, That the zeal and forwardness that there is in some beyond o∣thers, must needs come from Hypocrisie: Men that are acted meerly by Reason, because they understand not those Spiritual Principles that Godly people are led by, they cannot judg in Reason what need there should be of so much forwardness and zeal that there is in some kind of men. The wise men of the World walk according to such Principles as these.

CHAP. IX.

Spiritual Truths are above the light of Natural Reason. As, 1 The necessity of a new Birth. 2 The more a wicked man prospers, the more cursed he is. 3 That God should work the worst things for the Saints good. 4 That the Promises are the greatest riches. 5 That all the world is vanity. 6 That we must be righteous by the righteousness of another. 7 That the Foundation of all Happi∣ness is Self-denial. 8 That there is greater evil in the least sin, than in the greatest affliction.

THere are other things that are very much above the light of mens Natural Reasons. As,

1 The necessity of a new Birth, of Regeneraeion, that a man must not only be better than he was, but that he must be born again: you know in John, 3. concerning

Nicodemus, that was a man of great Parts and Under∣standing, a Ruler among the people; yet how childish was this man in the great Principle of Regeneration; saith he, must a man enter into his mothers womb and be born again? How can these things be?

2 And then there's this thing that is mightily above mans Reason, That the more a man prospers, if he be wic∣ked, the more cursed he is: This Reason cannot appre∣hend, but is cross to it.

3 And then, That God should work the worst things that do befal the Saints for good unto them; though it be never so cross and ill to them, yet that this should work for their good is a Principle beyond Reason, that they cannot understand: and men that walk according to Reason can never come to beleeve this.

4 Besides, That the greatest Riches that any man can have in the world, they do consist in the Promises: these Principles are foolish things to such as walk by Reason: the Promises that are in the Word wil make a man richer than all the Gold and Silver in the world: A man that's meerly guided by Reason, laughs at these things, and thinks them but meer silly conceits of men.

5 Next, That all the World is Vanity; that's a foo∣lish thing to one that's guided by Reason; What! that all the Pomp and Glory of all the Monarchs on the Earth, that it's nothing but Vanity! Come and preach of such things, that our Riches are in the Promises, and all the World is but Vanity, and such a one as walks by Rea∣son, slights and disregards all.

6 Another Principle that he can have no skil in is this, That we must be Righteous by the Righteousness of ano∣ther, that nothing but a perfect Righteousness, and a Righteousness out of our selves there must be to present us as acceptable before God: This is beyond Reason.

7 Another is this, That the Foundation of all Hap∣piness is Self-denial, and Mortification; that if a man would be happy, he must lay the foundation of his hap∣piness

in denying of himself, in denying his will, and his own thoughts, in the mortifying of the flesh, in the op∣posing, especially that sin that he is most inclinable to; and there he may lay the very Ground-work of his Happiness: This Reason wil not attain unto.

8 The last is this, That there is greater evil in the least sin than there is in the greatest affliction, as I have demonstrated out of that great Point that I have long* 1.2 since treated upon, That the Evil of the least Sin is greater than the Evil of the greatest Affliction whatsoever; That it is a greater evil for a man but to tell a lye, or to have an unclean thought, and to give way to it, than it is to suffer the loss of all his Estate, than to have all that he hath consum'd by fire or water, than to have any Evil that can be imagined to be∣fal him: Now come and tel this to a man that hath no∣thing but Reason, that walks by the sight of his Eyes, these things are a matter rather of scorn and derision to him. And yet truly, though many that do thus walk according to these Principles, do not own them, and say that they walk thus; but God sees it that they are acted by such things as these are, and for such Principles as should carry them on in the way of Eternal Life, they are above them, and they do not apprehend them: I affirm God knows it, and your Consciences know it, and may tell you that you do not apprehend those Prin∣ciples that are higher than Reason. But those that walk by Faith, walk by these Principles that are thus above Reason; therefore you know what the Scripture saith, That the Natural man perceives not the things of God, neither can he, for they are Spiritually discerned, 1 Cor.* 1.3 2. 14. The Natural man can∣not receive them, they are but foolish and silly things to him:

The Natural Man, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉* 1.4 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here, is the same word that in the Epistle of Jude, verse 19. is translated the Sen∣sual man; that is, one that is carried on by his Natural Soul: As there is in Man a Sensitive Soul, so there is in Man a Rational Soul: the Natural man here is one that is acted by his Rational Soul, and such a one receives not the things of the Spirit of God▪ the Water riseth no higher than the Spring whence it came; so Natural men can ascend no higher than Nature: such a meer Animal, a sapless fellow we may read of in Psal. 14. 1. he cannot receive them, they are foolishness to him, because they are Spiritually discerned; and as I hinted before in the mat∣ter of Sence, so here in Reason, it is the design of God to advance Faith above it, and to beat down Sence, to mor∣tifie the flesh. Now the danger in mens walking accor∣ding to Reason follows.

CHAP. X.

The Danger of mens walking by Reason. 1 The way of the Gospel is above Reason, Rhetorick, and Logick. 2 Reason is excellent, but if we walk according to it, it hardneth against God. 3 The Word works upon weak men sooner than wise, be∣cause they cannot fence off the Truth, as wise men with corrupt hearts. 4 It makes men slight in Spiritual Duties, without Communion. 5 They will not go through with a Duty, but start aside at every difficulty. 6 If God work Grace upon them, they will be fuller of doubts than others in whose understanding the Devil hath no forge.

FIrst in this, That the way that God hath set for your eternal Life is a way above Reason; and it's a special design of God for to befool the Wisdom of the World, and to take the wise in their own craftiness; this is that God aims at: If you read the first Epistle to the Corin∣thians, Chap. 1. Verse 17. and so on, there saith the Apostle, Christ sent me not to Baptize, but to preach the Gospel; not with wisdom of words, lest the Cross of Christ should be made of none effect: It was Christs charge, that when I came to preach the Gospel, I should not go in that plausible way of Reason as others do, in a Rhetorical and Logical way, and to manifest Art so much; it's true, there's use to be made of Arts & Sciences that may be understood by the light of Nature; yet the way of the Gospel must be that which is above them, and it must be delivered in a way above the way of Reason,

therefore saith he, I came not with wisdom of words, which yet Paul could have done as wel as another, wit∣ness his Artificial undoing of the Orators Speech, Act. 26. but he liked not to put the Sword of the Spirit into a vel∣vet Scabbord that it could not pierce, to speak floride potius quam solide, as those self-seekers at Corinth did, that sought more to tickle the ear, than to affect the heart, to please, than to profit: But the Apostle purpose∣ly waved all gaudy, Court-like preaching, lest the Cross of Christ should be made of none effect; for the prea∣ching of the Cross is to them that perish, foolishness; but unto them that are sav'd, it is the power of God: They see no wisdom in it; then in the 19. verse, For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the Wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the Prudent. The way that God hath to bring men to Life, and to Sal∣vation, is to make them fools first in their own apprehen∣sions, to convince them of the corruption that there is in their understandings: And then in the 20. vers. Where is the wise (the Teacher of Traditions?) where is the Scribe (or Text-man?) where is the Disputer of this world (the Teacher of Allegories and Mysteries?) Hath not God made foolish the Wisdom of this world? and so he goes on: For after that, in the Wisdom of God (not by all their Natural Reason) it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that beleeve: For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after Wis∣dom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks, foolishness: But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the Power of God, and the Wisdom of God: E∣ven Christ and the great things of the Gospel are foolish∣ness to those that walk according to the sight of Reason: for saith he, The foolishness of God is wiser than men; he speaks here in the apprehension of the world, that is, the great things of God are accounted by the men of the world but foolishness, I but it's wiser than their wisdom,

and therefore you see your calling Brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not ma∣ny noble are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not (that are nought set by) to bring to nought things that are. You may see by this Scrip∣ture (read it at your leisure) how Gods design is to blast the wisdom of the World, and to befool al worldly ex∣cellencies; and he hath so set things in the way of Salva∣tion as those that will stick according to the rules of their own Reason, must perish and be undone eternally: they shall never come to know the things of God.

It's a dangerous thing further (yet Reason, take it considered without the corruption of it, is an excellent thing) but walking according to it, it turns that which is an excellent thing in its self to be a mischief to thee, to be a means to harden thee against God and his waies, and to be a means to put off the Truths: A man that hath strong Natural Parts, deep Reason, and yet a corrupt heart: Oh how can this man fence off the Truth of God when others cannot: And hence it is that many times the Word works upon those that are weaker in Natural Parts than upon o∣thers, because when the Word of God comes to such a one, he hath nothing to fence off the Truth, whereas ano∣ther man that is subtil, and hath strong Natural Parts, he will have this and the other Objection against it; and surely this cannot be so, because of this reason▪ and the other reason; and so seems to baffle the Truths of God when indeed he doth but baffle his own soul; and so he ble••••es himself that he hath baffled it, and fenc'd it off, when as it is but for his own ruine: And hence it is that when Christ came to preach, where do you hear of Christs converting any Scribes and Pharisees which were the learnedst men o•• the times: And you read of Paul

that was for a long time together at Athens, yet you ne∣ver read that there was a Church set up at Athens; there was a Church set up at Ephesus, and Galatia, and Co∣losse, and Philipi: Now Athens was the Ʋniversity, was the place where the Scholers and Learned men were, and they derided Paul, and jeer'd at him, and so the Pharisees they derided Christ, because they by the strength of their parts could put off the Truths of God, Oh it's a miracle to see a man that hath strong Natural Parts, and a corrupt heart conver••ed, of all men, if God doth convert them, they have cause to bless God abun∣dantly: Oh they will then see how their Natural Parts we••e opposite to the work of Conversion, and stand and wonder how God did over-power their Objecting hearts.

And by the way, you that have weak Natural Parts be not discouraged, for perhaps if you had had greater Na∣tural parts, you might never have come to the understan∣ding of Spiritual things as now you have: You reade in Scripture of the women that followed Christ and his A∣postles; And when as Paul was sent to preach at Mace∣donia, and he had a vision in the night, saying, Come over▪ to Macedonia and help us: we find that there were but few women that came to hear Paul, and amongst the rest God opened the heart of one Lydia a seller of pur∣ple. Men of strong natural parts, they fence off the Truths, and keepeth then at arms end; but men of wea∣ker parts have received them: And now this will be the glory of God to al eternity when you come to Heaven, that God should chuse you to reveal himself to, rather than the great ones of the world; and therefore be not discouraged for the weakness of your Natural parts: There's a great deal of danger in walking according to the sight of mens Knowledg and Reason.

Again, Ther's this further evil in it, That it makes men very slight in Spiritual Duties: Men that have no∣thing but Reason, they will perform Duties, but there's

no life nor vigor at all, no warmth of their hearts, no communion with God in them; I appeal to your Con∣sciences, many of you that have gone but meerly in a fair Rational way before the world, though you do pray, and come to the Word, yet I appeal to you, What Commu∣nion with God have you? Those that walk according to Sight and Reason, are far from enjoyment of Commu∣nion with God, their hearts are very slight and dead in things that are Spiritual and Heavenly; all their Services that they perform are meer Natural, and therefore in a very low and mean way that they do them: you shall have those that are far beneath them in Natural Parts, when they come to pray, Oh there's a Spiritualness and Heavenliness in their Prayers; you shall have many poor people of very weak parts sending up groans and sighs in Prayer; but come to some that are Schollers, and they will have fine quaint Prayers, and set Phrases, but no warmth at al, no heat, no spiritualness at all that there is in them, because they go according to Reason, and act no higher but meerly the Principles of Reason.

Moreover, Those that go according to the Principles of Reason, may make an onset upon some work that God sets them about, but a thousand to one but they will ne∣ver go through it; if there come any difficulty in the way they will quickly be carried off: there is no way to per∣severe in Godliness, but by being principled meerly by a Principle of Faith; if you be principled meerly by a Prin∣ciple of Reason, you will never go through a Duty, but you wil faulter in it when you meet with any difficulty, or start aside like a broken Bow.

Again, There is this evil in it, That if ever God work Grace upon any, they will be fuller of doubts, and fears, and perplexities than others are, ordinarily it is so; there is this evil in the remainer of corrupt Reason, and I have seen it by the examples that I have known of many men of excellent parts, they being converted have had more doubts about the Mysteries of Religion, more troubled

with thoughts of Atheism, more perplexed in many things, and more followed with fears about their own Estates, they having been so addicted unto Reason, there doth remain so much strength of it, after their Conversi∣on as their Reason doth puzzle them extreamly: where∣as you have many of the meaner sort of people when God works Sanctifying Grace in their hearts, they never have any such doubts and fears, they look at nothing but in the morning to commit their souls to God, and read the Word; and when they meet with a Promise, their souls close with it, and blesse God for it, and so go about their business with comfort and joy, and never call any thing so into Question; the Devil hath not a forge in their understandings fit for his turn: but certainly a mans understanding that is of a large Capacity and not perfect∣ly Sanctified, the Devil can make a great use of the un∣sanctified part of it to forge a great many questions and doubts that wil puzzle and perplex the soul: So far as thou walkest according to Reason, so far thou wilt be brought into perplexity, and therefore there is a great deal of danger in walking according to the sight of thine eyes.

Wherefore by way of Application.

CHAP. XI.

Use 1. We must not follow the example of men of Parts. Use 2. Men of Parts must be humble. Use 3. In the work of Conversion, judg not accor∣ding to Reason. Use 4. To rebuke those that come not so high as Reason, or as Heathens. Use 5. Saints must have a Principle above Sanctified Reason.

HEnce you see what a vain thing it is to follow the Examples of Men of Parts.

USE I.

If it be so evil to walk according to the sight of mens Understandings, Then surely it's a vain thing to walk as they walk, and to make their walk to be the rule of thy walk: Oh no, we must not walk according to our own Reason, much less according to the Reason of other men; that's a double folly: It's a folly and danger to walk ac∣cording to the dictates of our own Reason; of other mens, that's a very great madness. No, we should seek to God that he would open our eyes, that we may un∣derstand and that by a Principle higher than Reason, that so we may walk in a safe way indeed.

USE II.

Secondly, Hence let men that are of Parts learn to be humbled before God: There's nothing in the world puffs up mens minds more than the strength of Parts, than the quick sight that they have of things: when they come into company, and they see that they can have fet∣ches

beyond their Companion, and can see into a business more cleerly than others, they are ready to despise o∣ther men, and they are some body in their own thoughts: Oh walk humbly before the Lord you that have parts more than others, lest your parts be your undoing, lest God gives you up to walk according to your own under∣standings, unto your own Counsels, and then you are undone.

USE III.

It's an Use of special Direction to those that God be∣gins at first to work the work of Conversion, unto yong Converts. I beseech you consider of this one thing, and lay up this, and if God would but settle this one thing home, it may recompence you for what difficulties you come through to wait at Wisdoms gate; that is, When God is beginning to make himself known to you, and to shew you the things of Jesus Christ, and your Eternal E∣state; take heed of poring too much by the eye of Rea∣son, and judging of things according to Reason; it will keep you off from Christ if you do so: If you would in∣deed have the Word go on graciously and comfortably in your hearts, you must lay the naked Word and your hearts together, and do not puzzle your selves by Reason, I cannot understand how this and this thing should be thus and thus: As now, a poor soul when God begins to work, the Devil casts in this Temptation, and Reason helps to strengthen it, That such a poor wretch as I, so vile, so wicked, yet that God should have regard to me, I that can do nothing; there are others that are of great Parts, and yet that God should reject them that are able to do great things, repeat Sermons, and have great Me∣mories, and yet that God should reject them, and have regard to me; what Service can I do for God? surely it wil never come to good. I, Reason will tel you so, in a way of Reason you cannot see how this should be: but

when you have to do in matters that concerns your souls, you must remember not to be acted by the eye of your Understanding, it is dangerous. I remember Luther hath such a Speech, Reason is the most cruel Enemy to Faith that can be: And in another place, saith he, In the matters of God we must not be asking why so, and what's the Reason of every thing: If we walk according to Reason in the great things of Godliness and Eternal Life, we shall hinder our selves exceedingly; and ther∣fore let all yong Converts in the matters that concern their Souls and Eternal Estates, not hearken too much to what Reason saith: and though Reason say it cannot be, yet know, if the Word saith otherwise, I must go according to the Word. I know not how it should be, I cannot see how such a wretched heart as mine should ever be brought to any good at all, and how God should take delight and Pleasure in me, and how I should come to have commu∣nion with God, I cannot see how ever I should come to this. Well, though you cannot see it, look at the Word, and rather shut the eye of Reason than follow the Di∣ctates of Reason: we must not walk by sight, nor walk by the Eye of Reason.

USE IV.

Further, It should have been to rebuke those that come not up so high as Reason: There be many that walk in such a base and wicked course that Reason would convince them to the contrary, and God will bring their Reason against them one day: The Gentiles that had no∣thing but the sight of Reason, would have scorn'd such waies as many walk in, they did abominate those waies of yours. Then how far are you from the walk of the Saints, and walking with God, that come not to so high a walk as the very Heathens walk; they walk'd up more to the Rules of Right Reason than thou doest.

USE V.

The next thing is, That a Saint should be so far from ordering their waies according to Reason, as their very Sanctified Knowledg is not sufficient; though they come to have the Spirit of God to Sanctifie their Reason, yet they must have a Ptinciple beyond this. I mean by this, That Sanctified Knowledg is not sufficient: There are many things, and the great and necessary things of Eter∣nal Life, which are things that are to be apprehended by a Principle beyond Knowledg, which is Faith, that we cannot by Knowledg come to apprehend: As thus; The Mystery of the Trinity, of the Personal Union of both Natures in Christ, how these Bodies of ours should come to be more glorious than the Sun in the Firmament: it's impossible that we should come by Knowledg to have these things made real to us in this world; no, it must be by Faith: that's thus, The Evidence that we have of them, it is not because we come to understand these things, how these things should be by any Know∣ledg, but meerly because we beleeve what God hath aid, for that's the difference between taking thing•• by Faith, and taking things by Knowledg: we do not use to say that we beleeve that twice Two is Four, because that we know it by Reason: Beleeving is grounded upo•• the Te∣stimony of another, and the proper Object of Faith is such things as are out of the reach of Knowledg: I work upon some Principles of Knowledg, indeed there are some Principles that I know, and I ground upon them, whereby I come to know that God saith thus and thus: and then I come to have this made evident to me by Faith, that goes beyond my Knowledg; for those things that we apprehend by Faith, are such things that we shal have and enjoy when Knowledg is gone. In 1 Cor. 13. saith the Apostle there, We now (saith he) see through a glass darkly, but then face to face▪ now I know in part, but

then shall I know even as also I am known: our Sanctifi∣ed Knowledg, it's not that which shall be hereafter: But by Faith we come to have the same things in effect, though not in degree; as the things of Heaven and Eter∣nal Life that we shall enjoy when Knowledg shall be done away: Faith can get into Heaven to the Throne of God, and make evident and cleer to the soul such things as we cannot come to have now by Knowledg, though our Knowledg be Sanctified: Obs••rve what I mean in it, If we had nothing but Knowledg, and Knowledg Sancti∣fied, that is, our understandings delivered from our cor∣ruption, and made as perfect as Adams was; yea, though our Knowledg had some Sanctified Grace where∣by we 〈◊〉〈◊〉 able to understand many Spiritual things be∣yond what Adam did, yet still there is somthing that we cannot have by Sanctified Knowledg without an higher Principl••▪ we c•••• ••ot fetch in the Truths of the Trinity, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••ion of the Two Natures of Christ; ••houg•• 〈…〉〈…〉ngs have Grace in them, yet t••••re 〈…〉〈…〉 of Faith that is able to fetch in 〈…〉〈…〉 to be real to the soul; and that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 t••••nk the Apostle here meant, for he speaks how 〈…〉〈…〉s 〈…〉〈…〉t, When we are at home in the body, we 〈…〉〈…〉 from the Lord: we know somthing of God ••ow though we are in the body, I but yet we are absent ••om God for all that; for saith he, We walk by Faith, and not by Sight: that is, there are other things of God than we can see, and understand by Knowledg, yet by Faith these a••e made rea•• to us, and therefore in Heb. 11. it i•• ••aid there, that Faith is the evidence of things not s••en; Certainly there the Apostle doth not mean by things not seen, only things that I do not see with my bo∣dily eyes, but it is the evidence of things that I cannot see with my understanding, yea, I cannot in a way of Knowledg; though my Knowledg is Sanctified to me, yet 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••ome by my Knowledg to take in those things and make them evident to me, but by Faith they

are, so that we walk by Faith, and not by Sight, beyond all our Natural Knowledg, and beyond all our Sancti∣fied Knowledg, we have a Principle that carries us higher.

CHAP. XII.

Saints expect greater Glory than they understand: The Ground of Faith is Divine Revelation, and this is different from Knowledg, though Sanctified, which must be done away, when we shall under∣stand not by way of Reason as now, but by the im∣mediate presence of God.

ONly this now for the working upon your hearts by it, there's this useful and fruitful Note.

That certainly there are greater things that the Saints by Faith are taught to expect, and that by faith are made evident to them, greater things than ever they knew or could reach to by any Spiritual Understanding: we can by our Spiritual Understanding come to know that there is a great good in communion and enjoyment of God; but Faith makes good to us a greater good than we can know; we have some Notions about God and Heaven; but Faith is higher than all our Knowledg, therefore the Saints may expect greater happiness and glory in Hea∣ven than ever they understood. The weakest Christian that hath his understanding elevated by Spiritual Illumi∣nation, is able to understand such things as the strongest man in the world that is ripest in his Natural Parts can∣not

reach unto: but ye•• by the exercise of thy Faith thou maiest bring home to thy soul ••he comfort of things be∣yond all thy Spiritual understanding, and so thou maiest pray to God that he would do thee good beyond what thou canst ask or think: I, this is the life indeed of a Chri∣stian; when a Christian doth not only make use of Natu∣ral understanding, and rise as high as he can there: But then when a Christian is illuminated by Spiritual illumi∣nation, and so comes to understand the things of God, and then comes with an Act of Faith; I but there are things that are beyond all these things that I know: For Know∣ledg is by the Causes or by the Effects; but now Faith goes beyond the taking in things by Causes and Ef∣fects, it takes in meerly by Revelation, so that Faith brings to the soul things that are unutterable; as Paul saith of himself when he was caught up into the third Heavens, there he heard words that were unutterable: and so Faith doth raise the souls of men to converce with the things of Heaven that are unutterable, and inconceiva∣ble to their understandings. And this is the excellency of a Christian; when he can walk thus, he can walk on high. This is to walk with God indeed.

Grace doth raise Reason higher than it was, and doth take away much corruption from Reason; but yet the Principle of the Saints in their walks is beyond their Sanctified Reason: that's thus, The main thing that dot•• guide and carry on the Saints in their way is that which is beyond what can be known by Reason in this world, elevated to the greatest height, as for instance, The Principal things of Christian Religion that the good of the Saints consists in, cannot be known by Reason, though elevated by Grace, it must be in a way of Faith and Beleeving: As one God in three Persons, we beleeve it, but we cannot know it that there is One in Three, Father, Son, and holy Spirit, Reason can never reach to this, no, though ••t be Sanctified. That the way of Sal∣vation is by a Mediator, God and Man, this is beyond

Reason in the greatest height of it: The Glory of the Bo∣dy, That it should be made more glorious than the ••un in the Firmament; the way of our Communion with God and Christ in Heaven, for God to be all in all; one cannot apprehend this by Reason, but it must be by a Principle of Faith: Let our Knowledg be raised by grace to the height, we can never come to know the causes of such things as these are: but the ground of our Faith is meerly Divine Revelation; now to receive a thing upon Divine Revelation, is different from the receiving of it in a way of Knowledg; the Scripture is cleer in this, and for it take these two or three Texts:

The first is in 1 Cor. 2. 9. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prrpared for them that love him: Eye hath not seen, Ear hath not heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of Man, no not into the hearts of the Saints by any way of Knowledg; But God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit, it is by Revelation: There's a great deal of difference between having things by way of Knowledg, and Revelation: When I have things in a way of Knowledg, I come to un∣derstand them upon such Principles as are written in mans Nature, or when I know that the whole is greater than any part, I do not say that I beleeve it, but I know it; but that which I come to beleeve, it's that which we have no evidence of by any way of Reason, but only by Revela∣tion: There may be many Reasons given in a way of helping and strengthening us to beleeve the Scripture, and many things in Religion; but that which is the ground and bottom of all, must be a Rvelation by the holy Spi∣rit, for Reason can never reach to those things that are the very Principles of Faith, they are beyond Reason: such things as eye hath not seen, nor Ear hath heard, nei∣ther hath entred into the heart of man.

And that place in 2 Cor. 4. 18. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are

not seen; they are not seen by us, neither by Sence, nor any kind of Reason, though never so elevated by Grace; they are not seen, but beleeved.

And so that in 1 John, 3. 2. saith he, Beloved, we are now the Sons of God, we are sanctified by the Spirit of God; but it doth not yet appear what we shall be: we cannot understand by Reason, not by any kind of ele∣vation of Reason what we shall be; But we know, that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for then we shall see him as he is. We do not now see God in any way of Reason so as we shall then, only we beleeve great things about God, but we are not able to behold him; therefore in 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom having not seen, ye love, in whom, though now you see him not, yet beleeving: You see how Beleeving is opposed to Seeing of God: therefore it's said of Moses, He saw him that was invisi∣ble; he was invisible in a way of Reason, but he was seen in a way of Faith: Faith doth rise higher than San∣ctified Reason. We have some kind of knowledg of some Spiritual things; but this knowledg that we have must be done away, therefore certainly there are things that we beleeve, that are beyond our knowledg, beyond the knowledg of the Saints; for the Apostle in 1 Cor. 13. 8. speaks of the knowledg of the Saints there, and saith, Love never faileth: but whether there be Prophesies, they shall fail; whether there be Tongues, they shal cease; whether there be Knowledg, it shall vanish away.

It's a very strange Expression, Whether there be Knowledg, it shall vanish away: What our Knowledg vanish away! Shall not the Saints have Knowledg in Heaven? Surely their Knowledg, you wil say, should be encreased in Heaven: But the Text saith here, that Knowledg shall vanish away; that is, the things that we shall come to see in Heaven, they are things that are so high and great, that are beyond the coming to understand in that way of Reason as now we understand things in this world. We come to have Knowledg, How? By

the Sences; for so the Phylosopher saith, Nothing goes into the Understanding, but first comes into the Sence: We come to have Knowledg from without, and we come to work from what is presented from without us; but this same kind of Knowledg shall be done away, we shal then only be swallowed up in God himself, in the Beatifi∣cal Vision of the most High; we shall see as we are seen: Certainly we are seen, that is, God knows us not in the way as we know things in this world, and we shall know God as he knows us, we shall have our Understandings inlightened with an immediate presence of God shining upon the Understanding, and the Understanding even swallowed up in God himself, so that Knowledg shall be done away: So then, there are things it seems in Hea∣ven that are beyond our Knowledg, for when we come to enjoy those things, our very knowledg shall be done a∣way. I remember that Mr. Calvin upon this Scripture saith, That all the Natural Excellencies of men here in this world, the excellent Parts and Gifts they have in the knowledg of Arts and Sciences, shall be done away; and therefore those that have weak Natural Parts, may have as cleer a sight and vision of God as the greatest and most learned men in the world: Our Natural abilities that we have here, wil not be any way helpful to us to the know∣ledg of God when we come to Heaven; but the poor weak people that are of low Understandings, so that they scarce understand any thing in a way of common Reason, yet they shall have as much Knowledg of God, and as cleer an Inlight into the Nature of that pure Being of Be∣ings, and into the glorious things of God, as the greatest Rabby that ever was upon the face of the Earth, for Knowledg shall be done away. There are therefore things that are beyond Sence, beyond our Reason that is elevated to the greatest height here in this world: and we walk by Faith. This might be of great comfort to those that have weak Parts here in this world; though their Parts be weak, yet that will not hinder them in the

receiving of the glorious things of Heaven.

But I shall leave that about walking by Sight, and come to treat about that which is the Principal Truth in the Text: For we walk by Faith, and not by Sight.

CHAP. XIII.

The Walk of a Saint on Earth, is the Walk of Faith. What the walk of Faith is, is described, 1 Generally. 2 Particularly. First, In respect of its End, which is Twofold: 1. The enjoyment of Communion with God. 2 The Glorifying of God (both in a Gospel way.) Secondly, In respect of its Rule. Thirdly, In respect of its Separation from uncleanness in thoughts and actions. Fourthly, In respect of its acting upon Christ for strength to walk. Fifthly, In respect of its acting upon Christ for strength, 1 To re∣sist oppositions, persecutions, outward and inward. 2 To get above discouragements. 3 To be carried through difficulties. Sixtly, In respect of its perfor∣mance of Duties without self ends. Seventhly, In respect of its real satisfaction without enjoyment. Eightly, In respect of its dependancy upon God in want of means. Ninthly, In respect of its Progress. Tenthly, Of its constancy. Eleventhly, Of its su∣tableness to things beleeved.

The Walk of a Saint on Earth, is the Walk of Faith.

IN the handling of this precious, and absolutely ne∣cessary Point.

First, I shall shew, What the Walk of Faith is;

when a Saint may be said to walk by Faith.

Secondly, That this is, and ought to be the only walk of Saints on this side Heaven.

Thirdly, The necessity of it.

Fourthly, The Excellency of it.

Fiftly, Some Encouragements unto Saints when they want Sight and Sence.

Sixtly, Choice Rules that we are to observe in the want of our Sight and Sence, yea, how we should exercise Faith in the want of all.

Lastly, How Faith carries the soul through all kind of difficulties in this world; when Sight fails, yet Faith carries through. These are the Principal Heads in this Treatise.

First, What it is to walk by Faith; briefly, and more Generally thus:

Then doth a Soul walk by Faith, when the soul walks on in the way that God would have it, when Sence and Reason is at a stand, by what Faith brings to it: Many times a Christian in his course finds all things that appear to Sence and Reason to fail him, and the soul is at a loss in respect of those things, but yet Faith comes and helps at a dead lift: when Sence and Reason knows not how to go any further, Faith brings in that which carries on the soul in the way that God would have it: This is to walk by Faith.

But more Particularly thus:

To describe the Walk of a Saint by his Faith.

First, The Scope and End of the way of a Saint is presented unto him by Faith; for in a walk, a man looks at some End: Now the End and Scope of a Christians Walk, to what he walks, is Two-fold.

1 Either the enjoyment of Communion with God.

2 Or the Glorifying of God.

Object. But you will say, Why is it only Faith that doth present this, the Glorifying of God, and the enjoy∣ment of Communion with him? we may know by Rea∣son

that we were made for God, and we are to glorifie God in our way in the course of our lives, Reason would tell us this: and that the chiefest good of a Ratio∣nal Creature is in Communion with God, Reason hints to us this; why do you say then that Faith presents this to the soul? though there be no Faith, yet a man by Reason may be convinc'd he ought to glorifie God, and that his Happiness is in Communion with him.

Answ. To that I answer this, That indeed Reason will tell us these two things, but in a lower and darker way than Faith doth, and the happiness of man in ei∣ther of these two things is but Natural so far as Reason carries it: Reason tells me I am to glorifie God, let me glorifie God no otherwise than Reason tels me, it's but in a Natural way: And Reason saith that my happiness is in the enjoyment of God, but if I enjoy God never any otherwise than Reason presents God to me, I can have but a Natural Happiness. But Faith goes further in presenting this Scope and End of my life: Faith tells me that I am to glorifie God in the way of the Covenant of Grace, I am to glorifie God in and by Jesus Christ, his Son; I am in the whol course of my life to lift up the Glory of God as it is revealed in the Gospel, God in Christ: and truly till we come to know this Glory that God would have from his Creature, namely the glorify∣ing of him in his Son, in the way that he hath propounded himself, we never give him any Glory that he accepts of. He may so far accept of it, as he may bless us with some outward temporal Blessings in this world, but never ac∣cepts of it to Eternal Life; A man that hath never such strength of Reason, and sees he must not live as a Beast, but he must acknowledg and worship God that is the Infinite Supream Being of all things, he may come to know this in the light of Reason; but if he rises no high∣er, it's but in a Natural way, and God accepts not of that: But now when the soul comes to know God in Jesus Christ, and comes to understand the brightness of the

glory of God as it shines in the face of Christ, and so comes to honor him in the way of the Gospel: this is the Scope of a Christians walk: And this is to walk by Faith. And when men only in a Rational way look at God as the last End, and so as the highest good, this is but meer Natural: But when I look upon God in Christ as my happiness in him, when I look upon God as communicating himself to his Creature through his Son, look upon the interest that my soul hath in him through Jesus Christ.

Her's the Scope of my life if I be a true Christian, the working of my heart, and all the actions of my life tend this way: you never knew what it was to walk by Faith, except you had the Scope of your life presented to you by Faith, shewing you what it is to glorifie God in his Son, and enjoy Communion with God in him. And that's the first thing in the Walk of Faith.

Secondly, The soul in walking by Faith is guided by the Rule that Faith doth present unto it: As it hath the Scope and Aim that Faith doth present to it, so the Rule that doth guide it is only presented to the soul by Faith, only by Faith: I confess Reason will go far, will pre∣sent unto men many Rules for the guiding of them in the course of their lives; such and such a way is sutable to right Reason, and such a way is against Reason, and thus far your fair Civil worldly men go; they see what is ac∣cording to the Rule of right Reason, and so they are gui∣ded: But Faith presents a better Rule, the Rule of the New Creature, Those that walk according to this Rule, (that the Apostle speaks of in Gal. 6. 16.) peace shall be on them, and the whol Israel of God: This Rule is plain∣ly the Rule of the New Creature, For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircum∣cision, but a new Creature; and saith he, as many as walk according to this Rule, peace be on them, and mer∣cy, and upon the Israel of God: Faith shews to my soul

what the Rule of my way is: the Rule of the new Crea∣ture as it is revealed in the Gospel, those Gospel Rules which I find in the Word that only are made known to me by Revelation and Faith: Whatsoever Revelation it be that the soul doth receive, it is enabled to receive it by Faith: And so, if it be but meerly a History, then we cal it an Historical Faith; or if a Miracle, then a Miraculous Faith; or if it be the Revelation about the Grace of God in his Son to my soul, then it comes to be justifying Faith: But the Nature of Faith in general is that Ver∣tue or Grace whereby the soul receives readily and freely the Revelation of the mind of God in the Gospel where God sets out the way of bringing men to Eternal Life by Jesus Christ: Now Faith, it is the receiving of these Truths of God thus revealed, and those men that stick so upon it, that they will receive nothing but what they can have Reason for, they will fall short in the day of Jesus Christ, they will fall short of that Rule that will guide men to Eternal Life. And that's the Second thing, when the soul is guided by such a Rule as Faith only pre∣sents unto it.

Thirdly, The Walk of Faith is, When the way of a Soul is likewise by Faith; that is, the way of Holiness, it is a way that is by Faith.

Quest. You will say, What do you mean by, The way of Holiness, it is the way that is by Faith?

Answ. By that I mean this, That whereby the soul comes to be separated in its actions, in the course of it, from al filthiness and uncleanness, it's Faith purifies the heart, it's nothing but this: then the soul walks by Faith, when by receiving those Divine Principles that are revealed in the Word it comes to be enabled to sepa∣rate it's self for God from all uncleanness, and to separate the actions of it from the filth and uncleanness of the world, from those mixtures of filth that the actions of other men are mingled withal; then doth a soul walk by

Faith when there is that Power in its beleevings: Thou sayest thou doest beleeve such and such Truths that are revealed in the Word, but what power hath thy Faith to clense thee? That's the way of Faith when it hath that power in it to separate thee from mixtures and base uncleannesses in the workings of thy heart and in the a∣ctions of thy life.

Fourthly, When Faith brings in strength unto the soul to enable it to go on in its way: The strength that a soul gets is by Faith, the closing of the soul with Jesus Christ, and by Faith drawing vertue from Jesus Christ, as the poor woman in the Gospel found vertue to come from Christ: so when a Christian finds want of strength to the performance of any action that God requires, what doth he now? it may be some will resolve I wil do thus and thus, and leave my sin, and set upon a better Course, and they go forth in the strength of their own Resoluti∣ons, and perhaps they do somwhat, and reform their lives a little more than formerly they did: I but this is not the walk by Faith; but a Christian that walks by Faith, when he comes to see what God requires of him, and withal finds his own inability, he then goes and acts his Faith upon Jesus Christ, and the Covenant of Grace, and the Promises, and there draws strength to enable him to the performance of what God requires of him.

Fifthly, A Christian walks by Faith, when Fairh brings in, not only power to do that which is required, but when there is any opposition; Faith enables to resist opposition, to resist whatsoever is in the way to hinder the Walk: As there's either opposition from without, Persecution, when men oppose such a way, and set them∣selves against it. Now when a Christian acting of Faith can be carried on, Though I be weak otherwise, yet ••hrough Faith in Christ I can go through opposition, and whatsoever I suffer for Christ, yet still through that

which Christ hath revealed to me in the Gospel. Or if not outward, yet there may be inward oppositions, the fiery Darts of the Devil; you know the Scripture saith, That Faith is a Shield that quenches the fiery darts of the Devil; not only that keeps them▪ off, but quenches them; this is a strange kind of Shield: A Shield, especi∣ally when Darts, and Bows, and Arrows, was of great use: Here the Devil shoots fiery Arrows; as somtimes in War, they have such a device that they will shoot out of Cannons, Bullets red hot; so the Devil he shoots fiery Arrows: But this Shield doth not only resist them, but quenches the fiery Darts of the Devil. And so Faith is an Anehor in the midst of storms and tempests to keep the soul from suffering of Ship-wrack; and not only helps against opposition, but lifts it up above discou∣ragements, and carries it through all difficulties: I put these three together; When by what Faith brings in, the soul is enabled to go through oppositions; Raised above Discouragements; And carried through difficulties; then is a Christian said to walk.

Sixtly, Then doth a Christian walk by Faith, when his great care is to go on in his Duty, but for what shall become of him, for the success, he can commit al to God: Here's a Christian walking by Faith, when he so orders his life, as nothing troubles him in this world what should become of him, how he should be provided for, what success he should have; but let me be where the Lord would have me, and do what he would have me, and commit all my waies and success unto God alone.

Seventhly, A Christian when he can satisfie his soul by what he receives by Faith as really and truly as any other men can satisfie themselves in the enjoyment of any good: Look what satisfaction to their spirits other men have in the enioyment of what they desire, that satisfa∣ction a Christian that walks by Faith hath, in the belee∣ving

what is promised; he can find as satisfaction in the beleeving what is promised, as other men can find in the enjoyment of what they have for the present: Oh this is the walk of a Christian in his way. A man that is not ac∣quainted with this Grace of Faith, is eager in the desiring of such and such things, and if he cannot have his desire satisfied, he is never quiet; nothing wil calm him but the satisfaction of his desire: I but, now a Christian can look into the Promise, and if he sees but the good thing promised, he is as wel satisfied in the Promise, as the o∣ther is in the enjoyment of his desire; and indeed ther's a great deal more satisfaction in the receiving of the Pro∣mise, than there is in what all the Creatures in the world can afford for the satisfaction of our desires; If God should give us the enjoyment of all Creatures in the world, they cannot so satisfie the desires of the soul, as a Promise can satisfie the desires of a Beleever; and this indeed is a great mystery in this walk by Faith: But this is the way of a Christian, and those that understand what the walk of Faith is, know what I mean: But unto carnal hearts they seem to be riddles, and they think them Aery Conceits and Notions; but such as know what it is to walk by Faith, know otherwise: Let but a word of Promise be given out, it's enough for a soul that walks by Faith: And because this is a great Point, I'le given you a Text or two to shew what satisfaction a Pro∣mise is to a beleeving soul that walks by Faith.

The first Scripture is in 2 Chron. 20. you find that Jehoshaphat had been praying to God in the time of a great danger, and having been praying, he received an answer of his prayer in the 17. verse, Ye shall not need to sight in this battel, stand still, move not, and hehold the Lord towards you, &c. here he receives the Pro∣mise: Mark then in the 19. verse, And the Levites of the children of the Kohathites, and of the Children of the Korhites stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voyce on high: They fell a praising present∣ly,

they had not got the Victory; and in the 20. verse, there's an Exhortation to beleeve, Put your trust in the Lord your God, and ye shall be assured; beleeve his Prophets, and ye shall prosper: and in the 21. verse, When he had consulted with the people, he appointed sin∣gers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of Holiness as they went out before the Army; and to say, praise the Lord, for his mercy endureth for ever: Was Jehoshaphat out of his danger that he set singers to praise the Lord, for his mercy endured for ever? No, he was in as great a danger as before, only he had a Promise, and having a Promise, he thinks of nothing but praising of God, for his mercy endures for ever: A Carnal heart would have said, stay, let us first see what the success wil be, and then we wil sing praise; nay saith he, I have a Promise, and I am satisfied as much in that, as another man would be satisfied in the Victory.

Another Scripture which is very famous for this, and that is in the 108. Psalm, 7. verse, God hath spoken in his Holiness: God hath spoken; the word is, Come out: What then? I will rejoyce; presently, he doth not stay for the fulfilling of the Word; I have the Word, and I know he is holy in all his Work; I will rejoyce, I will di∣vide Sechem, and meet out the valley of Succoth; Gi∣lead is mine, Manasseth is mine, Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my Law-giver; Moab is my washpot; over▪ Edom will I cast out my shoo: o∣ver Philistia will I triumph: And all this because God had spoken, the thing was not done; but the Prophet was as much satisfied in the Word, as in the thing being done. This is to walk by Faith; When the soul can be satisfied in a Promise as much as others are in the en∣joyment of what they have.

Eighthly, When the Soul can depend upon God a∣lone for all, in the want of all means; when all means shall fail, and if it would consult with Flesh and Blood,

with Means, with Second Causes, it sees its self undone; but in the failing of all these means, yet the soul can de∣pend upon God, and yet conclude, It shall be: As you know that was the Commendations of Abraham when his Body was even dead, yet contrary to Hope he could beleeve; let become of means what will, yet it is God that hath promised, and I can depend upon God in the want of all means.

Ninthly, The Progress that the Soul makes in the waies of Godliness, is by Faith; the walk of a Saint is from Faith to Faith, from one degree to another; ac∣cording as Faith encreases, so there's a Progress made in the waies of Godliness; when a soul doth not stand at a stay, he is not the same that is was seven yeers ago, but is got higher and higher, and neerer to God, and all by Faith, Faith doth act the soul still higher and higher to God in a constant way and course: That Progress that a Saint makes is by Faith.

Tenthly, The Constancy of enduring in a Christian Course, it is likewise by Faith; as it's said of Moses, he endured; as seeing him that is invisible, that was in∣visible to Sence or Reason; but by Faith he did endure: whatsoever hinderances he had in his way, yet he kept on his way to the end, and so received the end of his Faith, even the Salvation of his Soul.

Eleventhly, Yet one more there is, and that's a Ge∣neral; When a Saint doth in his whol Course walk as it beseems one that doth beleeve such glorious things as he doth, when he holds forth in his life, the glory and beau∣ty of those things that he professes he doth beleeve; for Christians they do profess their beleeving of very great things; The beleeving in God and Christ, and the speci∣al interest that their souls have in God; the beleeving in the Covenant of Grace; the beleeving of the things of

the Kingdom of Heaven, of their everlasting enjoyment of God there: these are great things: He may be said then to walk by Faith, when in his life and Conversati∣on there is a sutableness, and an agreement to all these great things that he professes he doth beleeve: You Christians, when you speak of such great things that you say you do beleeve, even such things that the Angels de∣sire to pry into, do you hold forth this in your lives? This is the walk of Faith, when the walk of your lives is sutable to what you profess you do beleeve: Oh then put all these together, and then may a Christian be said to walk by Faith:

When the Scope of his Life, and End of it, is presented by Faith.

When the Rule of his Life is by Faith.

When the way of his life, the separation from un∣cleanness and filthiness, is by Faith.

When the strength that he hath to walk, is by Faith.

When the power to resist opposition; To be raised above Discouragements; and to go through difficulties, are by Faith.

When he can take care for nothing but only to be where God would have him, and do what God requires of him, and leaves all to God.

When he can be satisfied in the Promise as well as o∣thers can be in the enjoyment.

And when in the want of all means, yet he can depend upon God.

When his Progress and going on, is through Faith; from Faith to Faith.

When his Constancy and Enduring to the end, is by Faith.

And when in his whol Conversation he holds forth the glory of his Faith, and lives sutable to those great and glorious things that he professes he doth beleeve: Here is one that walks by Faith in his Course, here indeed is the life of a Saint on Earth: And whereas the Scripture

saith, the Just lives by Faith; the holy Spirit seems to take a great delight in the Phrase, for it's very often re∣peated in Scripture: And thus the Just lives and walks by Faith. That's the first thing.

CHAP. XIV.

The Saints in all Ages have walked by Faith. 1 Enoch. 2 Noah. 3 Abraham. 4 Jacob. 5 All the Patriarks. 6 David. 7 Jonah. 8 Church, though they had less means, and a less glorious object than we have.

I Might shew you the Examples of the Saints at all times, how they have made their walk a walk of Faith.

1 As Enoch's walking with God was by Faith; that is apparent in Heb. 11. he pleased God; and if you read the Epistle of Jude, there you shall see the walk of E∣noch with God, And Enoch also, the seventh from A∣dam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord co∣meth with ten thousands of his Saints: Enoch that was the seventh from Adam, yet he beleeved the coming of the Lord with ten thousands of his Saints though it were almost six thousand yeers ago, yet Enochs Faith rea∣ched to it: Enoch when he saw ungodly men, and heard them speak hard speeches against the waies of God, loo∣ked beyond all their prosperity, and as is he should say, it may be they prosper in this world, and they speak hard speeches; Oh the hard speeches that many ungod∣ly

men belch out against the waies of God: though they prospered a while, yet Enoch could look beyond all their prosperity, and by his Faith was able to see the coming of Jesus Christ when he shall come with ten thou∣sands of his Saints in all his glory at the great day, and the sight of this made Enoch walk on in his way; as if he should say, let others do what they will, and please themselves in their ungodly waies, and walk according to the Flesh; I dare not walk as they walk, for why? Oh I beleeve the Coming of Christ in all his Glory, E∣noch: Enoch that lived almost six tbousand yeers ago, yet he by Faith could behold the coming of Christ, and by that work of his Faith was he kept on in his walking with God; let men do as they please, yet he would keep on constantly in his way, and this Text shews what it was that kept him on in his way.

2 And so Noah, he walked with God in his Generati∣on, surely it was by Faith too; that place in Heb. 11. shews plainly that it was by Faith; By Faith Noah be∣ing warned of God of things not seen: Mark, he did not walk by sight, but being warned of God of things not seen as yet; moved with fear, prepared an Ark for the saving of his house, &c. all was by Faith; and indeed that which he did, it could not be by any other Principle but by Faith.

For first, That he was so Godly in his Generation; you read in Gen. 6. that the whol world had corrupted their waies, And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the Earth, and that the very imagination and thoughts of his heart was only evil continually: this was the corruption of the times wherin Noah lived; what kept Noah upright all this time, when mens wic∣kedness was so great, and God was resolved to destroy men from off the face of the Earth; but saith he, Noah found grace in the Eyes of the Lord, and Noah was a just man, and perfect in his Generation, and Noah wal∣ked with God; surely it was by Faith: What could it

be but a Principle of Faith that should make Noah fall upon building of an Ark one hundred and twenty yeers before? God tells Noah that there should be a Flood come upon the Earth, and therefore bids him build him an Ark: An Ark! we never read of any such vessel to swim in the Water: Noah might have had a thousand Reasonings; What should I that am upon dry Land, and well, must I go and build a Vessel that must carry me in the Water? and I build, what I alone, am I wiser than all besides? they will come and mock, and what new kind of fine thing is this that you are a building? To what purpose should I go to build an Ark? I am no Marriner, and I know not how to mannage it: I but I must build it; and by Faith he went on in his way.

And then suppose that a Flood should come and de∣stroy the whol Earth, is it a likely thing that the Water should come up upon the top of high hills? Yet Noah beleeved this.

And then, All my Neighbors that are about me, may kill me if they please, and put me out of the Ark, and take it themselves: Sence and Reason would tell him so; and yet Noah went on in his way.

Well, But suppose God do put me into the Ark, and keep other men that they should not take it from me, but that I should have the benefit of it: I but then God tells me that there must be in it all manner of Creatures, two and two to come into the Ark, all venemous Crea∣tures, and wild and savage Creatures, they may destroy me? I but Noah beleeved this, that God would preserve him.

Again, I must have an Ark in which may be all sorts of Creatures, and food for all these, what Vessel would be able to hold this: But yet Noah beleeved God.

I but when they are there, surely the very filth that would come from those Creatures, would poyson me: yet Noah still beleeved.

And when I am in the Ark, and all the World shall be

covered over with Water, what shall become of me at last? yet he beleeved that God would provide for him.

God put Noahs Faith to it, and by Faith he went in∣to the Ark, and was preserved there: It was the walk of Faith that was Noahs walk in his Generation.

3 I might likewise shew you the walk of the Saints in other times; As of Abraham, how when he first came from his Fathers house, what a walk he took to walk into the Land of Canaan, and then afterwards into Egypt, up and down from place to place, and had not any possession at all but of a burying place, and was in the midst of dangers and oppositions from time to time, and how God tried him in the main thing that he promi∣sed him. Oh the walk of Abraham by Faith, was very famous.

4 And then the walk of Jacob's Faith.

5 And of all the Patriarks: the History of the Bible wil discover to you the walk of all their Faith.

6 And the walk of Davids Faith; after the promise of a Kingdom, yet how he was hunted up and down in the Wilderness like a Partridg.

7 And Jonah when he was put into the Whales Belly, yet he still cries to the Lord, and there acts Faith.

8 And the Church of God in general, besides particu∣lar Saints: that place in Lam. 3. shews the notable work of Faith in the Church of God when they were in the greatest distress, and under the Captivity of their Ene∣mies; at the 24. verse, The Lord is my Portion, saith my soul, therfore will I hope in him: The Lord is good to them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

The Lord is my portion, saith my soul: As if the Church should say thus, If I should consult what Rea∣son saith, and what Sence saith, and what Temptation saith, and what the World saith, they would all say that God had forsaken me, that God hath left me: But I will not regard what Sence saith, what Reason saith, what Temptation saith, But the Lord is my portion,

saith my soul; I will conclude of this in the greatest di∣stress that I am in, yet still the Lord is my portion, saith my soul. Still she holds to this in the midst of all her distresses: and we need not instance in further particu∣lars the 11. chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, is a Comment upon my Text, there you have the walk of the Saints one after another, from Enochs time to the Macabees.

And yet take this one Note, they had not the means of Faith as we have, they had not the object of Faith re∣vealed to them so gloriously as we have: Oh when we read the 11. chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, it should make us ashamed for, and troubled in the consi∣deration of our Unbelief: Oh the glorious work of Faith that was in those Primitive Saints.

The work of Precious Faith in them appeared very gloriously; therefore it should occasion such a Medita∣tion as this:

Oh! Should they that lived in the time of the old Testament, or before the New, yet should they thus walk by Faith? Oh how much more then should we that live in the time of the new Testament! Had they had but the four Evangelists to read over, of Christs being come in the flesh, and the manner of his coming, being born and living; and the Sermons of Christ, had they them but to have read over, and the Stories of his Apo∣stles in the Acts, and the great mysteries of Grace that are revealed in the Epistles that we have; Oh what Faith do you think would there have been in them then! Read but the old Testament, and how little have you there of Jesus Christ, of the Covenant of Grace, and of the things of Eternal Life; no, the Apostle saith, that Glory and Immortality were brought to light by his Gospel; it was little known in the time of the Law, and yet the glim∣merings that they had of those Objects of Faith, did strengthen them, and carried them through difficulties and oppositions whereby they were enabled to walk by

Faith: And so it is recorded of them for their Honor e∣ven to the end of the World; They received a good re∣port by their walking by Faith, to be an Example to us; Oh that we that are Christians, and profess our belee∣ving in such glorious things as we do, we should be ashamed that we are led so much by Sence and Reason as we are: Oh let us labor above all things to manifest the Glory of Faith, for 'tis this that God especially aims at: 'tis the great design that God hath to lead his people a∣long in such a way as may magnifie this grace of Faith: and therefore those of you do most honor God in the world that do most walk by Faith; not those men and women that have most comforts, they do not most honor God; those men and women that have most honors in the world, and most encouragements in the waies of obe∣dience, these are not them that do bring most honor to God; but those that do walk most by Faith: when the Lord looks from Heaven, and sees a poor Creature that wants Sence, and hath not those encouragements that others have, and it may be thou art not used in such excellent service that others are, and thou thinkest thus; Oh the Lord hath little use of me, I am not imployed in such things as others are imployed in, I do little Service for God in my Generation: I but doest thou exercise Faith in thy afflicted condition, in thy low condition, in that condition of thine where thou seemest as though God did but little regard thee, canst thou beleeve and ex∣ercise Faith in such a condition? know that this is accep∣table before the Lord, and thou by the exercise of faith in thy low condition, mayest bring more honor to God than many that have excellent parts and gifts, and are im∣ployed in glorious Service for God: But of that we shal have occasion to speak more further when we come to that head of shewing the excellency of Walking by Faith.

CHAP. XV.

The necessity of walking by Faith: 1 Because the waies of God are mean and vile to Sence and Rea∣son. 2 That there may be an agreement between us and God. 3 Because many things that are the Rule of our lives, depend meerly upon the will of God revealed without Reason. 4 That we may see the Authority of the Rule, and make it come with power to our hearts. 5 That we may see the reallity of Spiritual things. 6 That we may see through the colors and vain shews that are put up∣on the waies of Sin. 7 Because the waies of God do somtimes seem contrary to his Word. 8 Be∣cause of oppositions, outward and inward. 9 Be∣cause by it only we please God. 10 Because the End of the Saints Walking, is above Reason. 11 Because the efficacy of all means we use for any good, depends upon Faith.

IN a Saints walking with God, his walk by Faith hath a Principal share. I have shewed what it was to walk by Faith. And then, that it was the walk of the Saints: this is finished. I shal proceed unto the necessity of this walking by Faith, and the Excellency of it: If a Chri∣stian doth not walk by Faith, he will certainly miscarry in his way.

First, The absolute Necessity that there is of it: If we wil profess our selves real Saints, and walk with God, we must have a great use of the Grace of Faith in all our waies.

1 The necessity of walking by Faith is this, Because that the waies of God have a great deal of outward mean∣ness in them, and appears to be vile to Sence & to natural Reason; even the great things of the Gospel, they are foo∣lishness to a carnal heart. I remember Tacitus that was a great Scholler, speaks of the way of the Jews (which were the only people of God) the Way and Customs that God taught them, That it is absurd, and a sordid Way; and yet no people upon Earth had the mind of God revealed to them, but they in their time: and Josephus tells of one that speaking of the Jews, saith, They are hateful to men, and more foolish than the very Barbarian: These thoughts have carnal hearts of the Waies of God; they are very mean and vile, therefore there is need of Faith to shew us the way that we should walk in.

2 There is a necessity of Faith, That there may be an Agreement between us and God, Can two walk together and not be agreed? How can there be an Agreement be∣tween God and our souls but by Faith? Rom. 5. 1. Be∣ing justified by Faith we have peace with God; our peace with God doth not come from any obedience to the Commandement, but by Faith; it is not the reforming thy life, though that must be, for it's a sign thou art not at peace with God if thou doest not reform thy life; but all these do not make up thy peace, that which makes up thy peace with God is thy Faith in Christ; yea, and when a Beleever hath made peace with God, yet after∣wards he may do that which shal break his peace, the sence and the comfort of it, yea, and so far break as there may be a fatherly displeasure against him; now it must be faith that must it up, 'tis not enough to think thus, I have done that which hath broke my peace with God, The comfort of it to my soul, I will amend, and reform, that's good, but that's not the thing that thou must rest on: I but I will renew my Faith, and exer∣cise that upon Christ, and so make up my breach: Re∣forming that will follow upon it; but the main thing

that makes the Agreement, it's the work of Faith, and therefore Faith is absolutely necessary.

3 Faith is of absolute necessity to walk by, Because that many things that are to be the Rule of our lives, de∣pend meerly upon the will of God as it is revealed in the Word without any Reason given for it: I confess there are many things of the mind of God that we may see a Reason for, yea, there are some Principles in mans Nature, that are not wholly done away by the fall, that will shew to him that such and such things are Rules for him to walk by: but there are others that are meerly by the will of God without any Reason at all, and therefore there is a necessity of Faith for the discovering of them unto us.

4 There is a necessity of Faith, That we might come to see the Authority of the Rule by which God would have us to walk: though we may by Reason see som∣what, yet there is a Divine Lustre and Authority in the Rule that we cannot come to know but by beleeving: in the 119. Psalm, 66. verse, saith David there, Teach me good Judgment and Knowledg; for I have beleeved thy Commandements: Here you see the Commande∣ments of God are an object of Faith, as well as the Pro∣mises, which many do not think of; they think their Faith is only to act upon the Promises, I but Faith is to act upon the Commandements: That which is received by beleeving, is received in another way than that which is received by Reason; as if he should say, I see some Reason in thy Commandements, I but there is a Divine Authority, and lustre and glory in thy Commandements which is beyond that which is to be revealed by Reason, and that I receive by Faith: I by Faith have come to see and apply that infinite Mercie, and Glory, and Authori∣ty that there is in thy Commandements: Oh that we could but learn this, to beleeve the Commandements as well as to understand the Commandements, or to be con∣vinced by Reason of them, that we are not to Lye, nor

Swear, nor prophane the Sabbath, nor commit Adulto∣ry, nor do any act of Injustice; these things we may convince mens Consciences of: I but yet they do not be∣leeve the Commandements, that is, the infinite dreadful Authority that there is in them, for this, Reason doth not bring with power to the soul: Oh those that God works Faith in, they come to see, and to apply another kind of Authority in the Rule than they have done here∣tofore: therefore there is a necessity of Faith in our wal∣king, even to make the Commands of God to come with power to our hearts.

5 There's a necessity of Faith that we might come to see the Reallity of Spiritual things; they are all but No∣tions to us until we come to have the use of the Grace of Faith in the course of our lives; we may talk of Justifi∣cation, and Sanctification, and Adoption, and Reconci∣liation, and of the Love of God shedding abroad, and of the Spirit of God, and being guided by Gods Spirit, and the Priviledges of the Saints, and such things; we indeed speak of these things, but they are but meer Fancies and Notions to us till we come to have Faith, and Faith gives a real Being; according to that in Heb. 11. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, it gives a substance to them, and makes them to appear the most real things in the World, therefore there is a necessity of Faith for the making of Spiritual things to be Reallities to the soul.

6 There's a necessity of Faith in our walking, That we may be able to see through the colors and vain shews and pretences that are upon the waies of Sin, we shall be gul'd and deceived else by the color, and pretences, and fair shews that are put upon these, those guildings that are upon the waies of Sin; Sin will appear very fair and spe∣cious: the most dangerous and desperate waies of Sin, wil present themselves seemingly desirable to us, except we have a piercing eye of Faith to look beyond present things: Faith is necessary in our walk that we may see

through those paintings and daubings that are put upon the waies of sin, that we may look beyond things that are present, it's said of carnal hearts, that they do not see afar off, 2 Pet. 1. 8. If these things be in you, and a∣bound, they make you that you shall neither be barren, nor unfruitful in the knowledg of our Lord Jesus Christ: but he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off: He can see only things that are present; but you that have the knowledg of Christ, can see afar off. Oh there's a great necessity of Faith in the course of our lives.

7 A great necessity of Faith there is in our walk in the course of our lives, because that God doth seem in ••is way to go often so contrary to what he speaks in his Word, therefore I shewed you that Sence and Reason is not enough,: But now I am to shew you the necessity of Faith, because that God in his waies will appear to go so contrary to his Word that we shal not be able to see them: To that I have shewed you, that God in his Works doth somtimes seem to go contrary to his Word, As in Ahraham: I'le give you some other Instances; As his bringing of his people Israel to the Land of Cana∣an; he promised to them a Land that should flow with Milk and Honey: they were brought into the Southern part of the Land at first, that for the greater part was the most barren, only some little might be fruitful; but it was of all the Land the dryest part, and the most fruit∣less; and this is the reason o•• that Expression that we have in the 126. Psalm, 4. saith the Psalmist there, Turn again our Captivity O Lord, as the streams in the South; the streams that were in the South were mighty refreshing and comfortable; there were streams in other parts of the Land as well as there; but they were most comfortable, because that the Southern part of the Land was so dry and barren, and therefore any streams in the South were very refreshing unto the people; and thence is this Phrase, Turn again our Captivity as the streams

in the South: God brings his people into the barrennest place at first; what was this for, but to try their Faith? It seemed to be contrary to what God said of the Land, that it should flow with Milk and Honey: And so if you read the 20. of Judges, 28. 31. compared, God made a Promise of Victory to the People, and yet you shall find, that though he promised them Victory, at first there was a slaughter made, and such a slaughter as en∣couraged the enemy to hope for a victory over them again the second time: After God makes the largest and fullest Promises of mercy to his people it's his usual way to seem to go quite contrary: Oh the waies of God are unsearchable and his judgments are past finding out: If there be not Faith, we shall presently be offended when we see that the Works of God seem to go contrary to that word that we have thought we have beleeved in.

8 A necessity there is too in respect of the strong op∣positions that the Saints meet withal in their way; they meet with the Devil, and World, and Flesh, and all op∣posing them in their way, the oppositions from the world by waies of scorn, and contempt, and persecution, and it may be opposition from their kindred, from their Parents, from their Governors, from their neerest yoke∣fellow, bosom friend; if there be not Faith to help a∣gainst al these, the soul would never endure; Moses endured by seeing him that is invisible. So in inward op∣positions, from temptations within, from the strong cor∣ruptions that are within the soul, except Faith comes in the soul wil soon fade away: there's a notable Scripture that we have in the 64. of Isa. 6, 7. mark there the com∣plaint of the Church in the time of their affliction and trouble, All we (saith the Prophet in the name of the Church) do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities like the wind, have taken us away: Oh their hearts were down and discouraged; but what's the Reason of this? And there is none that calleth upon thy Name, that stirreth

up himself to take hold on thee; This was the Reason why they faded away like a leaf: when a leaf wants moisture, and hath the Sun to dry it, it soon fades away: so it was with them, they met with trouble and opposi∣tions, inward and outward, so that like a leaf they did fade away; but it was upon this ground, Because none stir'd up himself to take hold on God, because they did not act Faith upon him: In the time of their sufferings when they were in a low and afflicted condition, when temptations and troubles came, then they should have stir'd up themselves to have taken hold on God; had they but had the use and exercise of Faith then, they should not have had cause to have made such complaints, and therefore a necessity there is of Faith for the overco∣ming of strong oppositions; Set Reason, or Experience many times against oppositions that a Christian meets withal in his way, and they are but as Paper walls to keep Bullets off: But now Faith can set even Christ himself, and the Promises of the Covenant of Grace; and these are as a Brazen wall against oppositions; it's faith that doth quench the fiery darts of the Devil. A man hath strong temptations, and there comes in the fiery darts of the Devil thick upon him: Now he begins to Reason with himself; here's these temptations, and why should I yield to them? if I yield, I shall bring shame to my self: Alas, this is but as a paper wall in comparison; and if I yield to such temptations, I shall bring a great deal of trouble and affliction to my self, and my consci∣ence wil not let me alone, but fly in my face: these are some things to help against a temptation, but they are al but as paper walls in comparison of the actings of faith upon God and Jesus Christ: If the soul could but stir up it's self to take hold upon God in Jesus Christ, this would strengthen it far more, and be as a Brazen wall in comparison of the other.

9 And then another thing that shews the necessity of Faith, and that's a special thing to be considered of,

We must walk by Faith, all our walk else wil be to lit∣tle purpose, Because it's by Faith that we come to please God, and without that it's impossible to please him; in Heb. 11. 6. Without Faith it's impossible to please God: Whatsoever thou doest in the way of God, yet if there be not the exercise of Faith in it, it is not accepted: Thou thinkest thou walkest with God in this Duty and the o∣ther, thou prayest continually, and hearest the Word, and receivest Sacraments, and conversest with the Saints, and doest such and such good actions; these are wel, but except Faith comes in and mingles, there's none of them please God: It may be, before thou wert acquainted with the way of the Gospel, thou wert very careful in thy course; thou did'st keep thy constant times in Prayer, and didest attend upon the Word, and didest live very wel among thy Neighbors, and read the Scriptures much, and wert careful to come to Christ's Appointments; but if thou wert not in the walk of Faith all this while (though it's better to do this than to neglect it) yet if thou beest not in the walk of Faith, these things are not pleasing to God; they are indeed not so displeasing as the neglect of them would be, and therefore they ought to be done even by unbeleevers, for materially they are good, and better to do that which materially is good, than not to do it at al; I but, if you speak of pleasing God in or∣der unto Eternal Life, and in the Complacensie that God takes in such things as he is pleased with his Saints, they do not please him so, no, it's the work of Faith in the very action that must make it acceptable to God; if you tender it up to God, it must be by faith: Oh how neces∣sary is Faith then to make every thing pleasing to God, and therefore consider of this Note: It's not enough that you are Beleevers in general; that is, that you have saith in Christ, and so you have pardon of sin, but this shews there is a necessity of putting forth faith in every action.

10 Further, The Happiness of a Christian is that which is Supernatural, the last end that a Christian hath,

is supernatural; therefore as I shewed you when I ope∣ned what it is to walk by faith, Faith brings in the Reve∣lation of the end of our walk, and here it shews the neces∣sity of it: If our end in all our actions be above Reason, then we have need still of the use of faith in every thing that we do, that we may alwaies have the right end: And it is that indeed that doth commend an action in Morals, it's the end that makes the good of an action: And so in Divinity, it's not what the Action is, but what the End is; this crowns all: The necessity of faith is in this to carry on al our actions to a Supernatural End, to an End beyond Reason.

11 Lastly, It's Faith that is so necessary, Because the efficacie of al means that we use for any good, depends upon Faith: God sets us about the use of means for the attaining such ends, God never ordain'd means that they should help us to attain such ends by vertue in them∣selves; but God ordain'd means to convey himself through those means, and the effic••cy of them must be by using them in a beleeving way; such and such means God hath appointed for such ends; but if I make use of those means and think that they have any vertue or effi∣cacy for the attaining those ends, I frustrate the good of the means; but if I would use them in a profitable way, I must mix faith with them: I use these means, but it's the love, and goodness, and mercy of God that I trust in, in the use of these means. If I use the means to preserve my Natural life, I should exercise Faith there: Asa is blamed for using the means of the Physitian, and trusting to him, and not unto the Lord; but then much more when I use means for my soul, I come to the Word, and Prayer, and other Ordinances; there's no efficacy at all in al these any further than faith is mixed; you know what the Apostle saith, The Word did not profit them because it was not mixed with Faith; and so in Prayer, the Prayer of Faith will save the sick, but if you trust and rely upon your prayers, you will spoil al; the thing in∣deed

must be done, but that wil not do it, and you will find your Prayers wil come to little; and that's the very Reason why the times of prayer in your Closets, and in Publick have come to so little; you have prayed against such and such corruptions, but when a temptation hath come, you have been overcome as before: you wonder at it, and think, Lord, what shall become of me? I have prayed against this sin I know not how many times, and I thought that thou hadst come in sweetly to my soul, at such a time, I had such enlargements, and I went out in the strength of my Prayer, and thought that verily I should be able to overcome my sin, but I find I am as weak as ever: It's because thou didst trust in the means, it's true, God appoints such and such means, I but he appoints faith to convey his grace through the means; thou didst pray, and wert earnest with God, I but didst thou beleeve in thy prayer, and act thy faith upon Christ and the Promise, and the Covenant of Grace in Prayer? Oh Faith, it's that which is necessary in the use of all means to make one to have profit and benefit in them, and therefore certainly Christians must look to that especi∣ally to walk by their Faith.

And thus you see the Necessity of it.

CHAP. XVI.

Of the Excellency of Faith.

Walking by Faith is Excellent: 1 Because it hath higher apprehensions of God than others have. 2 It makes Civil and Natural actions, Heavenly. 3 It brings delight unto the soul. 4 It makes us converse much with God in all things we do. 5 By it we most honor God. 6 The soul is freed from fears by it. 7 It makes us do great things for God. 8 It makes a great progress in the waies of God. 9 It causeth uprightness in the heart. 10 We have Salvation present. 11 It is useful in all conditions. 12 It brings a good report from God himself. 13 It makes us die comforta∣bly.

The Excellency of Faith.

THat walk that is by Faith, hath a great Excellency in it, many waies.

1. First Excellency thus, Because a Saint that walks by faith hath higher apprehensions of God, and the work of God than others have: the apprehensions that others have of God, are very low and mean in comparison of one that walks by faith: One that walks by faith, can see God upon his high Throne; others see but the back parts of God, but one that walks by faith, beholds his Glory with open face: when Moses would see the Glory of God, in Exod. 23. latter end, God said that he should see his back parts; but the Gospel saith, that with open

face we behold his Glory; we do not only see the foot∣steps of God, but see him in his face, see him in his Glo∣ry and Excellency upon his Throne on high: and that's a most excellent thing.

2 That Soul that walks by faith, carries on all actions in a high and Supernatural way, makes his very Civil and Natural actions, to become Heavenly and Supernatural; it doth ennoble every work, and puts a price upon every thing that a man doth. I remember Luther hath an Ex∣pression concerning poor Milk-maids that are Beleevers, and walk in their Callings in obedience to God, and as a fruit of their faith, they are more glorious actions when they go up and down with their milk-pails, than al the Victories and Triumphs of Alexander, and Julius Caesar, and all upon the Earth; Why? Because they walk by faith; And the Scripture is very famous for this concerning Joseph, in the 11. to the Heb. What was the Act of Joseph that he did, it was the carrying of the bones of his father into the Land of Promise: when his father Jacob died, he would be buried in the Land of Promise, and Joseph carries the bones of his father thi∣ther, and that's made an act of Faith; a very low and mean action one would think to go and bury his fathets Bones in such a Ground, yet that's made a glorious A∣ction, and recorded by the holy Spirit as a most excellent Action, Why? Because it was the action of Faith: So the meanest work of your Callings, if it be but done by faith, it's an excellent action, and honorable before the Lord. Now you that are in very low Callings, Servants that are but making clean the house, and doing the mea∣nest works, yet still if it be as a fruit and effect of your faith, and your acting faith in the action, you make it a supernatural and a glorious action that God highly e∣steems of: Many poor people that are imployed in mean things are discouraged; they think that others that are imployed in the great affairs of the State and Churches that they are happy people; but your faith will make

your lowest and meanest actions more glorious than theirs.

3 The Excellencie of walking by faith is this; Faith brings in whatsoever good there is in Christ, in the Co∣venant of Grace, in the Promi••es, and makes it sweet un∣to the soul, and now for one to walk up and down in the whol course of his life, and not only to suck in the sweet∣ness that there is to be had from these in his first conversi∣on, but every day to be sucking in the sweetness of the Promises, and to enjoy whatsoever is in Christ and the Covenant of Grace, it must needs be an excellent and a glorious life, and this is the life and the walk of faith: Oh it is a most delightful walk then, the walk by faith; and so far as we exercise faith, so far we bring delights into our souls; if there be any delight and good to be had, either in Christ, and the Covenant, and the Promises, it is en∣joyed when we walk by faith: Surely then we need not walk droopingly, and heavily, and sadly like Bennonies, if we had but hearts to exercise faith.

4 Those that walk by Faith converse much with God; as they have higher apprehensions of God than others, so they converse much with God, for faith is that which takes off the heart from the Creature, and presently car∣ries it to God through the Creature: One that hath faith in continual use, when he hath to do w^th any Creature, he hath communion with the Creature, but instantly his heart is upon God in it: and ••n the use of an ordinance, present∣ly his heart is upon God; it doth not stay in any thing, but flies to God, and nests himself in him, and converses with him; and when he awakes in the morning, present∣ly faith that's acted, and there it converses with God in Heavenly thoughts and meditations, and when it comes to prayer it converses with God, and when it walks up and down in the world, and sees the Sun, and Moon, and Stars, it converses with God in them; and when he hath communion with the Saints, he converses still with God: al that walk by faith they converse much with God, and therfore it's excellent.

5 It's that Grace that in a more eminent way honors God; that I have many times spoken of, especially once handling the preciousness of the grace of faith, it honors God above al other graces, because it attributes nothing to the Creature, but al to God; and it glorifies that in God that God himself most glories in; as the mercies of God, and the faithfulness of God, God glorifies in his mercy and faithfulness in a more special manner; his mercy is over all his works, and faith gives glory to that in a most eminent manner, it gives God the glory of his Power too, and of his Wisdom, and of al his other Attri∣butes; Abraham beleeved, and gave glory to God: they are the men and women that glorifie God, that walk most by faith: You think if your hearts were more ho∣ly than they are, and more Heavenly-minded than you are, you should glorifie God; it's true, that would help you, but if you could beleeve more than you do, you would glorifie God more, and the other would follow of themselves.

6 It's an excellent walk, the walk of faith, Because by this the soul is freed exceedingly from fears, from doubts, from misgiving thoughts in the course of it: where faith is not strengthened, a Christian walks as one in the dark, afraid of every bush; so long as a Saint is but little acquainted with this mystery of Godliness in wal∣king by Faith, every day what fears are there? if there be but any stirrings of corruption in his heart, then God's an enemy presently, and I am a Reprobate and a Cast-a∣way; such conclusions are ready to be where there is not the use of faith: and if God seem but to absent himself a little while, he is gone for ever, and never wil come a∣gain; and if the heart find temptations to come in strong, one day I shal perish by the hand of this Saul: Oh the fears, and doubts, and the misgiving thoughts, and jelo∣sies that there are in the hearts of Saints, in their walk while they do not walk by faith; how are they bewil∣dred in their course, they go on a little way, and are pre∣sently

to seek: When the soul walks by faith, it's help'd against al these, fears, and doubts, and misgiving thoughts that some souls (if they had it) would give a world to be freed from; Oh saith some poor soul, if I could be but freed from these, what a happy life should I lead: If thou couldst learn but to exercise thy faith in the course of thy life, these would be despelled ever as the mist pas∣seth away before the Sun; and Temptations they would little prevail with you, as I hinted before of faith, it would quench the fiery darts of the Devil; Temptations would not prevail so as they did, if the sould could but act faith more.

7 Thou shalt do great things for God by walking by faith: you think your grace is but smal, and you shal never do much for God; but faith helps to do great things for God, yea, though Saints graces be but weak for the present: Those men that have the greatest measure of Sanctification, do not alwaies do the greatest things for God; but such men as can act faith most, and have the greatest measure of that, they are those that do the grea∣test things for God here in the world, his best Instru∣ments.

8 Besides, Thou wilt make great Progress in the waies of God, thou wilt go on apace; those that walk any other way, they walk very slowly, they walk as a sick man with his staff in his hand, he can go on but slowly; but such as can walk by faith, would have no need of the staff of Experience, and the staff of Comfort, and of Reason, and such things, such a one can walk on apace in Gods waies, yea run, if need be: A man that walks in any other walk, if he meets with any stumbling blocks, he knows not how to get over them, but one that walks by faith walks on high above stumbling blocks: if a man walks in the midst of stumbling blocks, he cannot walk fast, but if he can get above them, he rids his way more.

9 What shall I speak more about the Excellency of this? It's that which causes uprightness in the heart, I am God All-sufficient, walk before me and be upright; as much as to say, Abraham, act thy faith upon me as the Al-sufficient God in al thy waies, look not upon the Creature, but upon me, and then walk before me, and be upright: What's the Reason of the unevenness of Saints walking in their way? it's for the want of Faith they walk not by Faith, and therefore if they meet with this and the other difficulty, they wil turn aside out of the way; but where the soul can walk by Faith, it doth walk in an upright line to God, and hath no fetches a∣bout one way, nor the other.

10 By walking by Faith we come to have the present enjoyment of the end of our faith, Receiving the end of our Faith, even the Salvation of our souls; it's not only you shall have the end of your faith, but you have it; Receiving the end of your Faith: the Saints have Heaven now in their hearts, every step they set they en∣joy the end of it: That's a great Excellency of it, to en∣joy the end and reward of all our actions: In the kee∣ping of thy Commandements there is great reward; while I am in action, I have Heaven; I enjoy God, and Hea∣ven, and my last end, I have the blessing, the happiness of my last end in every thing I do: this is to walk by faith indeed: Many walk heavily in their Conversations, and yet have some hopes that at length they may get to Hea∣ven; but by walking by faith, we have Eternal Life now: Its a comfortable walk when a man is walking, and sees the end of his journey before him, that encourages him; but this is more than seeing the end of our journey, it's the enjoying of the fruit of our journey

11 And then the Excellency of it is in this, That it is so useful; in al Estates and conditions we have need of faith: If God puts us in prosperity, if we do not act faith there, our prosperity wil spoil us, and slay us; If God changes our condition into adver••ity, there we must

have the use of faith too; if we be in sickness, or in health, faith still; a single estate, married condition, whatsoever our Condition or Imployment is, yet stil faith: The usefulness of it shews the Excellency of this our walk by Faith.

12 It's that which brings a good report too, a good report even by God himself; God commends this Grace above every Grace, in Heb. 11. 2. For by it the Elders obtained a good report; they were spoken ill of by men, but by their faith they obtained a good report, their names were dear and precious in the eyes of God: The Elders obtained, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, were attested unto. Faith honors God, and gives him a testimonial, John, 3. 33. such as is that, Deut. 3. 4. God therefore honors Faith; according to 1 Sam. 2. 30. and gives it his testimo∣nial, as here, the Elders are Eternallized in this notable Chapter, this little Book of Martyrs, as one fitly cals it. I beseech you consider of this, you that take care of your names; Oh you cannot tell how to bear the loss of a good name, to be revil'd and contemn'd; here's the way to have a good report, it is by faith: And the truth is, though many will speak ill of you, yet go on in a con∣stant way walking by faith, and the Lord wil cleer your names; trust God for your names and liberties, and com∣forts, and all, and you shal find your names wil be clee∣red by God, and kept by God as boxes of precious Oynt∣ment. They al obtained a good report.

13 Lastly, This is the Excellency of it, That it wil make one die comfortably; no such comfortable death to a man as this, When he meets with God in the end of his Walk; when death meets with him in this walk, it can never look terrible: If you have gotten out of the walk of Faith, in∣to the walk of Sence, and the common course and road of the world, Death wil meet you, and be very terrible to you, as the King of terrors; but if death meet with you here, it wil look with a very cheerful and amiable coun∣tenance; in Heb. 11. it's said, They died in Faith, not

having received the Promises. (Only by the way ob∣serve this concerning the last Point, and mark how the Words are twice repeated, For by it (saith the Apostle) the Elders obtained a good report: and then in the 39. verse, And these all having obtained a good report through Faith, received not the Promise; God having provided some better thing for us, &c.) But the main place for our comfort in death is in my Text, and that which follows upon it, For (saith he) we walk by Faith, not by sight: What follows then? we are confi∣dent and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord; we walking by Faith, and not by Sight, then we are confident and willing rather to be absent from the Body; let death come when it wil, it shal be welcom, it cannot come amiss because we walk by faith, and not by sight: The great Reason why people are afraid of death, is because they walk by sight so much: The walking by faith, wil make the soul to be willing to be absent from the body, and to let the soul to go freely out: as when a vessel hath no vent, the liquor wil not run out, but give it vent and then it wil run out; so here when the soul is not willing to go out of the Body, let it have but a sight of those heavenly things that faith is able to let in to it, and the soul wil presently be willing to be absent from the body.

Thus then you see the Excellency of a Saints Walk by Faith.

CHAP. XVII.

An Exhortation to strengthen Faith by looking to the grand Covenant, when we cannot apply parti∣cular Promises, and when we can neither apply particular nor absolute Promises, by casting our selves upon Gods Attributes.

LEt us improve this a little to stir up Saints to the strengthening Faith above al: This I find, that ma∣ny souls are very careful to strengthen other Graces, and make great complaints of the want of them; but they are not so careful of this, neither do they make such com∣plaints of the want of this; few are so much troubled for the want of this, as for the want of humility, and meek∣ness, and Heavenly-mindedness: You shal have many complain thus; Oh that I could get my heart more hum∣ble, and more broken, then I should be happy, but Oh I have a hard heart: But get thy heart more beleeving than it is, and thou wilt be as happy: And so another com∣plains, Oh if I could but overcome my Passion, get the mastery of my self, and to be meek in my carriage; but if thou couldest get more Faith, that would do better, and would help against thy Passion: Oh if I could but o∣vercome my evil thoughts, and pray better, how happy were I? but rather say, Oh that I could beleeve more, and exercise Faith more, Oh that I could get influence from Jesus Christ more; and this would make thee hap∣py: If you walk not by Faith, you wil lose your way quickly, you wil lose the sight of the end of your Faith, and that wil discourage you; and then you wil lose your

very way its self, and you wil be mightily ensnared, and be ready to be drawn out of your way, and stumble ther∣in, if you exercise not Faith: But by faith you wil keep the sight of the end of your way, and keep in your way, and be delivered from stumbling blocks, from snares in your way.

Now to the end you may strengthen your Faith, re∣member to practice this choyce Rule:

When you cannot put forth your Faith in a particu∣lar Promise, yet hold to the main Covenant, to the great and the grand Promise; and when you cannot put forth Faith in a conditional Promise, yet put it forth in an absolute Promise; somtimes I cannot see particular Promises that I can act upon, but what's the Covenant of Grace, look upon the infinite freeness and the fulness of the Covenant of Grace then.

Object. But it may be some wil say, I know not whe∣ther it belongs to me or no.

Answ. Consider, There's Fulness of Grace, and Freeness of Grace in the Covenant; and therefore say, Why may it not belong to me? I am not excluded, ther∣fore let me keep that before my soul in al my distresses, and the sure keeping and presenting of it before the soul, is a special means to draw forth the vertue of Faith.

And then, though I do not see a conditional Promise, I cannot apply that; as thus: When God saith, Bles∣sed are those that mourn, for they shall br comforted, and blessed are the poor in spirit; Oh I do not mourn, nor am poor in spirit; I do not find the Condition of those Promises in me; yet there are other Promises that are absolute, and carry the Condition of those Promises in them; as, I will take away the heart of stone; he doth not say, I wil take away the stony heart if you wil do thus and thus; but it's an absolute Promise to all that can cast themselves upon it, and it requires no preceding Conditions: This▪ is a mighty help in our Walk by Faith.

First, By Faith look to the grand Promise, and the Covenant in general, when you cannot apply Particulars.

Secondly, Though I cannot apply a conditional Pro∣mise, yet let me look unto an absolute Promise, and let my soul hang there, and that's enough to support for the present, and let me exercise Faith there: But more of this, and the helps of Faith I shal come to treat of in the next Head; that is, What the soul should do when there is the want of Sence, when God absents himself, and the soul hath lost the sence of God, and his Love, and Mercy; and when Gods Works do not seem to go with him, but rather against him; how the soul should help and re∣lieve it's self in that condition; for here indeed is the on∣ly act of Faith, when al Sence fails: Oh that's the soul that walks by Faith, that knows how to make use of it when al the props of Sence fails. But of that in the fol∣lowing Discourse.

The Life of a Saint on Earth is a mystery, for it is to walk by Faith, and no marvel though the men of the world do not understand the way of a Saint, they won∣der at what they mean in denying themselves, so much as they do, and doing things that they can see no reason for: hence it appears then, that it must needs be a myste∣ry to the world, because it's a walk by faith, Gal. 2. 20. is a very remarkable place for this; saith the Apostle there, I am crucified with Christ: as for al the Honors and Preferments in the world, they take nothing with me, I am crucified to them al: those that liv'd with him might stand and wonder, What's the matter? why should Paul be crucified to al the Preferments he might have had? for he was a man of great Esteem and Credit, yet he was crucified to al things; though I be crucified, yet I have a life, though I am crucified with Christ, yet I live, I have a life beyond al the things in the world; what's that? Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God; I am crucified, and am willing to be dead to al

the things in the World; it is because▪ I have another life, the life of the Son of God, which I have by Faith: Oh the way of Godliness is a great mystery that the world do••h no•• know, the world looks upon them as a compa∣ny of dead Creatures; but they have a Principle by which they live, that is beyond the thoughts of men▪ This I shal pass from, and proceed.

Suppose you cannot for the present have use either of Conditional Promises, or absolute Promises, yet there is some help, The Soul is to endeavor to cast it's self up∣on Gods Attributes, that is, to work after God that way, and do▪ what it can to close with Gods Name; I confess we can never have any assurance of Gods Love and his Mercy, til we have it in the way of the Covenant: But it's one means to help the soul after God, when it is out of the sight of a Promise, for to venture its self upon the At∣tributes of God; as upon the Mercy of God, as God is infinitely Merciful in himself; and the Power of God, and the Goodness of God: I confess these things can ne∣ver fully satisfie the soul except it knows God in Christ, yet they may be some helps to keep the soul off from de∣parting from God; it's true, the Attributes of God in themselves, can never be a sufficient object for saving Faith, yet they may be some stay of the heart for the present to keep it from departing from God, and in such a way wherein it may come to find God so much the soo∣ner, and that was the support of the poor woman of Canaan that we read of in the 15. of Matth. the poor woman there had no Promise to rest upon, neither Con∣ditional, nor Absolute; for when she came in the 22. ver. she cryed to Christ, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David, my daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil: But he answered her not a word: And then his Disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away: But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. What have I to do with you? I am not come to you: And then he

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

told her, That the childrens bread must not be given to dogs: Christ did stave her off from all kind of Promises, But Lord help me: Lord, she look'd upon him as a Lord, as one that had infinite power; she could not stand reasoning that the Promise belong'd to her; as if she should say, Though I acknowledg I cannot tell how to rest upon any Promise, yet thou art good and merci∣ful, and Lord help me. It were more comfortable if we could pitch upon a particular Promise, and anchor there, or upon the Covenant in general, or upon a Conditional Promise; but if we be barr'd off from all that we have, neither Conditional, nor Particular, nor Absolute, yet still there is somthing to help us in looking upon God in his Attributes, though not sufficient to make it to be the object of a saving Faith.

CHAP. XVIII.

Helps for the soul in its walking by Faith. 1 What∣soever our case is, we have to deal with an All-seeing God. 2 Gods Word is more to be relied upon than his Works. 3 All good that is in all Creatures is e∣minently in God. 4 No Creature in Heaven or Earth, hath the least power to do good or hurt, any further than God pleaseth to let out himself through them. 5 The way of God in working for his Saints, is often above, without, and contrary to means. 6 God puts the sentence of death upon a thing before he gives it. 7 Whatsoever Promise is made to any particu∣lar of the people of God, that may every Godly man apply to himself, being in the same condition that he was in. 8 No Condition so comfortless as it may be a sufficient plea for unbeleef.

BUt further, To proceed in the helping of the Soul in its walking by Faith: There are these four things that I intend to prosecute in this Point.

First, To lay before you some Principals of Faith, that Faith may help its self upon.

Secondly, To give you some Encouragements unto a soul that wants all Sence; when God is quite out of sight, yet what Encouragements the soul may have.

Thirdly, I shall lay down some Arguments to move your hearts to put forth Acts of Faith even in the want of Sence, when all is out of sight.

Fourthly, Some Rules of Direction, what the soul should do in that great case of the want of Sence. These are the Four Heads, and I shal not be large in any of them.

For the First, To lay down some Conclusions or Principals that may be for the support of Faith, when Sence and Reason is at a stand.

1 The first thing is this: What ever my case be, yet I have to deal with God, with the infinite and glorious God, who hath the compass of al things before him, who doth not only look upon things that are now present, but with one view he sees the whol Frame and Latitude of things. Our Knowledg is like a man that is going up to the top of a Tower, and looking through a little cranny he sees those things that are right before him: he sees not the things that are on this side, or that, only those things that are right before the cranny: But the Knowledg of God is like a mans Knowledg that is on the top of a Tow∣er; if there be an Army of men in the field, with one view he can see them all: Now for the soul when it is in any straights, to look thus upon God, I have to deal with that God that hath the Compass, the Latitude, the Is∣sues of al things before him: therfore upon this, see how Faith helps its self. Though I cannot ••ee how such and such a thing can be, yet I have to deal with an infinite God that sees al before him, and he may see waies and means that I cannot see, and although I think that such a thing tends to such and such an evil, yet God he looks beyond the present, and may see a great deal or good co∣ming a long time after by those things that seems to be very hurtful for the present. The great Reason why men

beleeve not; and when Sence and Reason is at a stand, their hearts sink, because they look no higher than them∣selves, they look not at God that hath the compass of all things in his view; if they did, this would quiet them; as a child when he is at a stand, and knows not what to do, he wil commit himself unto his Father, and thinks, my Father knows: So should we do when we are at a stand, we should consider that we have to deal with a God that hath the Latitudes and Issues of al things in his eyes at one view.

2 The Second Principle that I would lay down for the help of our Faith in the want of sight, is this: That Gods Word is more to be stuck unto than his Works, we are more to rely upon a Word, than upon a Work of God; that's a Principle that would be a mighty help to Faith: Let's search and see whether we have a Word to warrant us in our way, whether any Word of God holds forth a∣ny comfort to us.

Object. You will say, When I read the Word, I have some comfort; Oh but when I see how things are working, then I am quite taken off.

Answ. Lay up this as an everlasting Principle, That Gods Word is more to be rested upon, than the Works of God; for God puts his Word as an Object of our Faith, but God never makes any single work of his to be the Ob∣ject of our Faith; as we have had occasion already to shew you how that Gods Works many times doth seem to be quite contrary to his Word: As take one work sin∣gle without reference unto another work, and it would be quite contrary to his Word; as I remember I instanced in that of Abraham, when God promised him to make his Seed as the S••ars of Heaven, and yet he must kill his Son; the Work that God would have him to do, was quite contrary to his Word; and then to bid him go from his own Country into the Land of Canaan that flowed with Milk and Honey; the first thing that he meets with∣al, was a famine in the Land of Canaan: Oh therefore

rest on the Word of God rather than on any Work of his, for we cannot, nor God would not have us to understand his Works many times; God loves to be in the dark in his Works, but his Word is light; the Scripture saith, that Gods Waies are in the dark, but his Word is alwaies called light, therefore that's to be rested upon.

3 The third Principle to help our Faith in the want of Sight and Sence, is this; That all good that is in all Creatures in the World, is eminently in God himself, in the very Being of God; that so the soul enjoyes al the good there is in al Creatures: I beseech you observe it, When the soul enjoyes God, it doth not only enjoy a good that is better than all Creatures, that every one wil say, that the mercy of God, and the goodness of God are higher and better than al the good that there is in al Crea∣tures; no, but we must understand it yet further than that; not only that he enjoyment of God is better than having all Creatures, but we must understand thus, That al Creatures in the world, whatsoever good they have for doing any good, all that power, and sweetness, and comfort that is scattered up and down in several Creatures, it's al united in God in one; that while I have the Lord, I have al power in al Creatures whatsoever; that's a mighty Principle of Faith: For now I want sight, it may be I see this and the other Creature work∣ing against me, and I see the want of help in one, and the want of help in the other; but if I can have a real sight of God, to see al the good that is in al Creatures to be in him; this is a wonderful support: then if I have to do with nothing but God himself, I have enough, for I have al there in him: As though a man hath not such and such Herbs that grows in a Garden, perhaps he hath neither Rosemary, nor Time, nor Sweet-marjoram, yet if he hath the Water, that is still'd out of these Herbs, he hath the Vertue and Quintessence that is in every one of them: So the soul that hath union with God, and por∣tion in the Almighty, hath the Quintessence, and Vertue,

and Efficacy of al Creatures in God himself: That's the Third great Principle in the helping of Faith in the want of sight and sence, in any case of trouble that the soul is in.

4 The fourth Principle of Faith is this, That all Creatures that we look upon as those that may afford us any help; al their power depends upon God, they have power neither to do good or hurt any further than God doth give out his power, and doth concur with them; no Creature in Heaven or Earth, hath the least power to do the least hurt, any further than God is pleased to let out himself through those Creatures; he hath the abso∣lute command of all. These things are granted in the general, and you are ready to say, Who doth not under∣stand them? It's true, it's an easie matter to convince men of that, but if it comes to examination, the very ground of the shaking of our Faith when we meet with any trouble, ariseth from the want of the use of these Principles: Let these be laid to the heart, and let there be a right and a sound understanding of these, and it will be a mighty help to our Faith.

5 The fifth Principle for our Faith is this, That the way of God in working for his Creatures, is a way often beyond al means whatsoever; God doth delight in wor∣king (and especially for his Servants) beyond al means of al Creatures, and contrary unto means; above means, without means, and contrary unto means; this is the way of God in his working for his Saints. I confess the way that God uses to work for others (for the men of the world) it is but the way of a general Providence. It is a very useful Consideration this one Note, to consider the difference of the working of God towards the generality of the men of the world, and the working of God in re••e∣rence to his Saints: The working of God towards the men of the world, is the working of his general Provi∣dence, and no further, they can expect no more; and if God work any further towards them, to bring good to

them, or to help them, God hath a special aim to som∣what beyond them: But for his working towards his Saints, there's the right hand of God stretcht out, the right hand of Gods power, and it's glorious in Excellency, that is, God in working for the good of his Saints, takes a great deal of delight in going beyond al means, without means, contrary unto means; and indeed those actions of God that he doth mind his Saints more specially in, are such: And hence are al those expressions that you have, of the right hand of God, and the excellency of his power; the excellency of his power is over Jacob: it's true, it's the Power of God that works al good to al Creatures in the world, and God causes his general Providence to be working for good to them; but his Excellency is over Jacob; that is, to work beyond, without, and contrary unto means; ther's the glory of God. Saith God when he works for his people, such kind of works as are ordi∣nary for me to do when I am working for others, wil not serve turn to manifest my love and respect to my Saints, no, I'le go beyond, and without, and contrary to them.

Oh that this might have a double use upon our hearts, not only to strengthen our Faith, that when means are wanting, and come short, and seem to go contrary, yet to walk by Faith. Oh but let us likewise learn by the way from hence to be more than ordinary in our Service for God, he is more than ordinary in his working towards us: For the soul to lay up this, and to take this as for granted, That God in his special working for his People and Churches, he works otherwise than he doth for o∣thers, he works beyond, and without, and contrary un∣to means; and he commonly doth use to put the Sen∣tence of death upon a thing before he gives it.

6 And that may be in the sixth place: That God in his dealings towards his people, he seldom uses to do any great matters for them, but he doth use to put the Sen∣tence of death first upon it before it's done, he doth not

use to come to help till just they are ready to die, until al seems to be gone, then their extremity is his oppor∣tunity; God would not give Abraham a child til Sa∣rahs womb was dead, and he was as it were dead: so if you examine the waies of God towards his people, he usually brings them into the shadow of death, and there is a sentence of death, and then appears the grace and mercy of God towards his people, and so the Apostle speaks of Gods dealing towards him, in 2 Cor. 1. 8, 9. We were pressed out of measure, above strength, inso∣much that we despaired even of life; but (saith he) we had the SENTENCE* 1.5 OF DEATH in our selves: But to what end? That we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Hope is never higher elevated, than when our state in all mens eyes is at the lowest: You must not therefore when you find your condition brought so low, as to say, this is beyond al my strength, and God doth not use to tempt his people beyond their strength, and therefore surely God is gone, help is gone; no, now is the time for God to come if ever, when the Sentence of death is put upon a people: Oh how often have you found God somtimes coming in, when you have given up al at Sea, and if the wind had not turned just at that instant you had been gone; but then hath been the time for God to come and work for your deliverance when the Sentence of death hath been upon you, because God would have al the glory of it to himself: And that's a sixt Principle.

7 A Seventh is this: Whatsoever Promise we have in al the Book of God to any particular of the people of God, that Promise may every godly man apply unto himself being in the same condition that he was in: If you read in the Book of God how he hath dealt with any of his Saints when they have been in any extremity or difficulty, God hath given out Promises to them to suc∣cor

them, that is a Warrant for thee to lay hold upon that Promise as if it were made to thee in particular; and this is a great help to Faith. These two Scriptures are generally known, the Promise that God made to Joshua, he said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee: Now the Apostle in the Hebrews, doth apply it to the Christians that liv'd in those times, For God hath said (saith he) I will never leave you, nor forsake you: They might have said, this Promise was made to Joshua, and not to us: yet that way of the Apostle in applying the Promise, is a general Rule to us, that whensoever we find any Promise in Scripture concerning any particular godly man, we have warrant to make use of that as if so be that God had called to us from Heaven by name, and said Thomas, or Richard, I wil do this and this for thee: That's a Seventh Principle for Faith.

8 The Eighth thing that I would lay down to help Faith in the time of the want of Sight, is this, That there is no condition that any of the People of God can be in, no condition so dark, and so wanting comfort, as is a suf∣ficient Plea for Unbeleef: Though thy condition be ne∣ver so dark and dismal in thine own eyes, yet remember, it can never be so dark, so dismal, so void of comfort, of help, as should give thee any ground▪ for thy Unbeleef. I'le give you one Scripture that may serve instead of all for this, In Isa. 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord? that obeyeth the voyce of his Servant? that walk in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay himself upon his God: Who is there that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? no light at al, nothing but black darkness, dismal dark∣ness; You walk in darkness because your walk is not the walk of Faith: But who is it that walks in darkness, and sees no light of comfort at al? what should he do? Let him trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.

It is, Whosoever is among you that feareth the Lord: It's those indeed that fear God, so they must be qualified, and their desires are to obey the voyce of his Servants; mark, the holy Spirit speaks of two things that Godly People in their greatest weaknesses may find: That is,

First, The fear of God is upon their hearts, indeed although they cannot do as others of the Saints, they can∣not overcome their corruptions as they, yet the fear of God is upon them.

And then Secondly, That obeyeth the voyce of his Servant: They can appeal to God that knoweth all things that there's nothing their souls more desires than to be obedient to God, speaking by his Servants to their souls; and though it's true, they have not power to do the thing that is required▪ yet there is the obedience of the heart: Well then, Who is it? Whosoever it be, though never so weak, though never such stirrings of corruption in them, yet if they thus fear God, and their hearts lie under the Authority of his Word, so as to be willing to yield obedience to the voyce of God by his Servants, though he walks in darkness, and sees no light, he sees no comfort, no way of succor for him, yet let him trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay upon his God, so that there is no condition so dark and dismal to any that desire to fear the Lord, and walk in his ways, but they may have exercise of their Faith in trusting in the Name of the Lord, and staying upon their God. And thus you have these Principles laid down for to ground your Faith up∣on, which you should lay next to your hearts, for you may have use of every one of these in your walk.

CHAP. XIX.

Encouragements to the soul in its walking by Faith. 1 God tenders himself to all to whom the Gospel comes, in a Covenant of Grace, and not of Works. 2 All the good that God doth for his Creatures, e∣specially in order to eternal Life, is for his Names sake. 3 There is no qualification in the Creature that is made by God as a condition to our belee∣ving. 4 It is the great Glory of God, and the de∣sign that he hath in the world, to glorifie himself in the way of his free Grace, and faithfulness towards men. 5 It's as delightful to Christ to have the end of his Death, as to us to have our souls saved. 6 God leaves his People without Sence of his love for many good ends to them. 7 God hath more Glory in saving than in casting off.

AS for Encouragements to the soul in its walking by Faith; consider of these Particulars.

1 That God doth tender himself unto all those to whom the Gospel comes, so as he is willing to deal with them in the way of a Covenant of Grace, and not a Cove∣nant of Works: This is a special help and Encouragement to the soul that is in darkness, and sees no light, who hath no sence of the Presence, and Love, and Mercy of God, yet O thou soul look up to God; Oh the sight of God will such a soul say, is terrible to me; The Lord is a consuming fire, and who can stand before the everlasting Burnings? Oh who can endure the consu∣ming fire? But Oh thou soul look up again, and behold

the Lord tendering himself to deal with thee in the way of the Covenant of Grace.

Object. I but, I do not know whether I am under the Covenant of Grace.

Answ. Yet when thy Ears hears the glad tydings of the Gospel, know that that's nothing else but God coming to tender himself to thy soul in the way of a Covenant of Grace: Had we to deal with God in a way of a Co∣venant of works, Cursed is every soul that abides not in e∣very thing that is written in the book of the law to do it; then every thought of God might be very terrible to us, and I verily beleeve that it's the main ground that holds many under a spirit of bondage, and causes them to walk in a disconsolate, and distressed condition, and cannot walk by Faith, because they look upon God as having to deal with him in the way of a Covenant of Works; they see God to be a Holy, and Just, and Righteous God, and they see his Law Righteous; now they are conscious to themselves of having broken his Law, and their Consci∣ences being defil'd with evil works, and having guiltiness upon them through the••r sin, upon this God is terrible to them, and they are not able to put forth any acts of faith to beleeve in him.

But on the other side, Could this soul come to behold God tendering himself to it, to deal with it in the way of a Covenant of Grace, and the Lord speaking thus, for so he doth, Oh you wretched sinful soul who art cast and undone by the Covenant of Works that first was made with man-kind, you are undone, and by that must pe∣rish for ever: But behold, there is a Second Covenant, a Covenant of Grace, wherein I am willing to have to deal with the Children of men, and through that Cove∣nant that I have made, that is, Beleeve and Live, and I am he that justifies the ungodly; and in that Covenant there is a way of satisfaction for the Sons of Men, and there is acceptation even of the desires, and endeavors of the souls of poor Creatures that are otherwise ful of sin;

yet acceptation there is through the Covenant, of their souls, and that to Eternal Life; and it is through that Covenant that I am willing to have to do with the chil∣dren of men, with you in particular to whom my Gos∣pel comes to be preached; not to deal with you meerly as I am the Creator of al things, and you Creatures, as I Holy, and you Sinful; but willing to deal with you through my Son, and to apply the purchase that my Son hath made: Oh if we could but come to see the Lord so, in the midst of al fears and troubles we might come to ex∣ercise our Faith, and to walk by Faith rather than by Sence; beholding God in this manner, and indeed with∣out the beholding of God thus we shal never be able to step a step of Faith in our walk: And that's the first Encouragement.

2 The Second is this, That all the good that God doth for his Creatures, especially in order to Eternal Life is for his own Name sake, it is out of free Grace, and nothing else; it is because Mercy pleaseth him, Mic. 7. 18. it's not because you can please him, for he will have mercy on whom he wil have mercy, and whom he wil he hardens; it is meerly because he delights in mer∣cy, it's from Arguments that are in his own Bowels, and not from Arguments that are or can be in thee or any Creature: What an Encouragement is here for the soul to exercise Faith? a soul that walks in darkness and can see no light, I see nothing in mine own heart but a dun∣geon of dismal darkness; Oh but I hear that the Foun∣tain of al Gods goodness unto his Creatures, of all the good that he doth for his Creatures in order to Eternal Life, is meerly out of free grace, and because mercy plea∣ses him; then why may there not be a way for me then to exercise Faith, though my condition be never so sad in its self: That's the Second Encouragement.

3 The Third is this, That there is no qualifications in the Creature that is made by God as a Condition of our beleeving: God doth not say, that if you be thus and

thus, that then you have right to beleeve, and so you shal come to have right to Christ, There is nothing be∣fore Faith, that gives right unto Faith: Indeed there may be somthing before that may take away some hin∣derances, and lets, and so may help us towards beleeving; but nothing before Faith that can give us a right to be∣leeving; therefore for men to say, How do I know that I have a right to beleeve? If thou canst beleeve, thy be∣leeving gives thee a right to beleeve; 'tis my beleeving makes me to have interest in the Riches, and in the Grace of the Covenant to apply it to my self, but there's nothing can give me a right to beleeve: If the Gospel be preach∣ed, and I find the Lord working upon my heart to draw me to beleeve, the Lord gives me liberty to it, that is, not that I may conceit that I have my part in Christ: All to whom the Gospel is preached, they have right to this: if they can find that in their hearts, to cast and noul their souls upon the infinite, free, ful, and rich Grace of God in the Gospel, they may do it; and they need not stand to plead whether it be not too much boldness in them so to do, for thou art invited to do it freely, Come and drink of the Waters of Life freely; and you that have no money, no worthiness at al in you, yet the way is made over to you as wel as to others: And that's a Third Encouragement.

And if at the first time when we come to beleeve; there be then no qualifications required to give us interest to be∣leeve, then surely at al other times we are not to reason, That because I am thus and thus, therefore I may not be∣leeve; let thy condition be as bad as it can be afterwards, yet surely it is not worse than it was at the first of all, thou art not more off than before, or at least it cannot be so ill but that this Rule may encourage thee.

Yea, though they have sin'd against knowledg, and after profession of Religion, yet still this holds a truth that there is no precedent qualifications gives thee right to beleeving, it doth but that which may make way, and

take away hinderances, and therefore thou may est be en∣couraged in the want of al sight and sence, yet stil to ex∣ercise thy Faith.

4 The Fourth Encouragement, That it is the great glory of God, and design that he hath in the world to glorifie himself in the way of his free grace, and faithful∣ness towards the children of men: God doth delight in the glory of his Power, in the glory of his Wisdom, in the glory of his Bounty, in the glory of his Justice; but the great Master-piece above al things, is the glory of his Grace, in the Glory of the Riches of his Grace, and Mercy, and Faithfulness, it is that the Lord delights more in, than he doth in making the World: God as he hath made one World, so he could make a thousand Worlds by the Word of his Power: If God pleased, he could make a thousand Worlds more by one Word; yet God doth not so much delight in making of Worlds, as in shewing forth the riches of his Grace to poor wretched Creatures that have undone themselves: That's the great Master-piece of God that he will be honored in to al Eternity: Now when as the soul shall think, If that Mercy may do me good, that shal be so great as God shal have the chief Glory of above al his Works, and that God takes most delight in above al other of his Attributes, if that mercy wil do me good, then this is tendered to me in the Word, and therefore I may have Encouragement to beleeve.

5 Another is this, That as it is Gods great design to magnifie his Grace above al his Works, so it's as delight∣ful to Christ to enjoy the end of his death, as it can be to any of you to have your souls saved: Christ takes as much pleasure in, and accompts it as great a good to him to have the End of his death, as any of you can accompt it to have your souls eternally sav'd: You think thus, Oh such and such a Mercy that I have need of, what a benefit would it be to me if God would grant me this mercy; but if God would save my

soul, pardon my sin, and bring me to eternal Life, how happy should I be? What is thy heart set upon such a Mercy, and doest thou so prize the pardon of thy sin, and the saving of thy soul? thou canst not prize it more than Christ prizes the fruit of his death, thou canst not get more good by thy Salvation, than Christ shal get by having the purchase which he purchased by his death; you know the Scripture in Isa. 53. He shall see the travel of his soul, and he shall be satisfied, for by his knowledg shall my righteous Servant justifie many: This is the travel of Christs soul to bring sinners to be justified, and when Christ sees this, he is satisfied: If thou should'st see the Salvation of thy soul, and God should as it were in a Map shew thee all that glory that thou should'st have in Heaven to al Eternity, would not this satisfie thee? Now when Christ sees the travel of his soul, that is, in bringing Life and Salvation for sinners, this is as great a satisfaction to the heart of Christ as thy Salvati∣on can be to thine own soul: The consideration of this, may be useful to help thee to beleeve in the want of all Sence whatsoever.

6 The next is this, That God withdrawing himself from his People, and bringing of them into such a condi∣tion wherein they are without al kind of sence of his Love, and nothing but darkness; the Lord in this hath many good ends why he doth it: He doth that which is very sad to the hearts of his people, yet it is not so evil but God many times hath excellent ends for which he doth do it, he takes his Servants off from the props of the Creature, and from the prop of Sence and Reason to the end that he may be All in All to them; if there were no other end why God did withdraw himself from his Creatures, but that he might shew to them what their condition were like to be for ever, but only that he might eternally forsake them, if God had never any other end, then thou mayest be much discouraged in the want of sence: But consider what an Encouragement is here for

thee to think thus, Indeed my condition is sad, but hath God no other ends but only to forsake his Creature? have not I heard out of the Word many times that God hath very gracious ends, and that he doth not only aim at his own glory, but at the good of his Creature in with∣drawing himself, and much good hath come by it, it hath been a means to withdraw the hearts of his Servants from the Creature, and to unite them more▪ strongly to himself: Then why should not I make the best Interpre∣tations of Gods dealings as may be? I was before afraid that surely God had utterly forsaken me; but when I hear this, that he hath many gracious ends why he doth for the present withdraw himself from the hearts of his People; not only many good ends why he doth out∣wardly afflict his people, that many are convinc'd of; Oh but that God should intend good in withdrawing himself from their Souls, that they cannot see so much: But Oh thou afflicted soul, that art tossed with tempests and with temptations and troubles, know that God hath many times gracious ends even in withdrawing himself from the very souls of his Servants. God withdrew him∣self from the very Soul of Christ for a time, for so he cries out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? therefore do not think that it is alwaies in hatred, and so as it wil be a certain forerunner of Gods separation from thee: Certainly God did at that time love his own Son dearly, when he did cry out so; and indeed that may be a mighty help to our Faith, when we consider not only what God doth do many times to his dear Saints, but to his own Son; and consider that God did not withdraw himself from Christ only for satisfaction (for so it was) and to shew that we had deserved that the Lord should eternally withdraw himself from us, but it was that he might be a merciful High-Priest to us; as in Heb. 4. We have not an High-Peiest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are: In all Points; why? you are

tempted with Poverty, Christ was; you are tempted with Disgrace, Christ was: I but I am tempted with inward and Spiritual afflictions, with Gods withdrawing the Sence of his Love, and Mercy, and Goodness, what should I do there? Christ was tempted so too; In all things, the Scripture saith; And why was he tempted? it was, That he might be made sensible of our Infirmities, that he might be a compassionate High-Priest to us; and therefore mark the Exhortation that follows upon it in the 16. verse, Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find Grace to help in time of need.

So I shal conclude for the present with that Exhortati∣on; You want Sight and Sence, Oh walk by Faith, and let this be an Encouragement and help to thee for the ex∣ercising of thy Faith, That we have such a High-Priest that was toucht with the feeling of our Infirmities; and among other particulars even in that, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? and I make no question but it was one special end why we have this very suffering of Christ in his soul recorded in the Scripture, and it was when he was afflicted outwardly, yet then he was in∣wardly afflicted at the sam time; Christ was apprehen∣ded as a Malefactor, and so accused, he was imprisoned, and forsaken by his friends, he was in the hands of wicked men, yea, in the hands of wicked men so as to be put to death by them, and there made a gazing stock to al the World, and scorned at in the midst of his afflictions: we do not use to scorn at men when they suffer, though they suffer for their sin; but Christ was scorned at: now if ever there were a time for God to shine upon him, and to give him the sence of his Love, one would think it should be now; Oh no, but now at this time God withdraws himself from him so far as he cries out in the Agony and bitterness of his soul, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? You are to make a Two-fold Use of it.

First, That here is a satisfaction to Gods Justice,

Christ by being forsaken for a time hath delivered al Be∣leevers from being forsaken by God Eternally.

And it is likewise an Use of very great moment, that Beleevers should make of it, Christ is set ••ut▪ as a Pattern before us, and we are to arm our selves with the same mind.

And he is set forth unto us as a High-Priest to shew unto us that he was put under such temptations as these are, to the end he might pitty us, and have compassion on us in our temptations, and tryals, to the end our Faith might be helped, if we should ever be brought to such a condition, to be without Sence, so as to look upon God in the greatest of our afflictions to have forsaken us, yet then cast up an Eye to Jesus Christ, and behold him thus forsaken, and know as here is satisfaction to justifie for thee; so here you have an example of Gods dealing with his own Son whom his soul loved, for certainly the soul of God did alwaies love him, I know Father, thou al∣waies hearest me, and so he did alwaies love him: Cer∣tainly the Lord had gracious ends in forsaking of him, and this is set out as a Pattern to thee for the helping of thy Faith when all Sence is wanting; and had we no∣thing in all the Book of God to help us to exercise Faith in the want of Sence, but only this example of Christ, and the dealings of God the Father with him, it were sufficient to help us to walk by Faith when we have no sight nor sence.

The walk of a Saint is the walk of Faith; there's no∣thing manifests us to be Saints but this, The walking by Faith, and not by Sence.

I shal ad one further Encouragement that may help very much, especially to a soul that is humbled before God, and is panting after the grace of God.

Consider, When you are afraid that God should cast you off because you have no sence of his Love, what should God get by it if he cast you off? If you can but bring it to this, That God shal get as much by receiving

you, and saving you, as he shal have by casting you off, why should you not have encouragement to beleeve and exercise Faith in the want of Sence? When you have the most dismal thoughts of al, and Sence is furthest off, what do you think God wil get, if he should cast you off?

Object. You wil say, He shall have the Glory of his Will, he shall shew forth the absoluteness of his Will in it, and what should I look any further, what reason God may have?

To that I Answer thus:

First, God may have the glory of his Will, and yet save you too; yea, and have the glory of his Will rather more in saving such a soul that's making after him, than he should have in casting of him off: And surely if God may have a great deal more glory, then you may have a great deal of encouragement to beleeve.

For if he hath the glory of his Will, It's but his Will upon you; but in saving of you, he may have the glory of his Will of you, and that's more glory: you shall pas∣sively glorifie his Will, that is, you shall be a Subject, as God may make it to appear before Men and Angels that he may do what he pl••a••e with you: But when you shal come and subject to his Will, and lie down at his feet, he hath the glory of his Will Actively upon you, and this is more.

Again, God shal have the glory of his Power by ca∣sting of you off; I but when you come and fall down before him, and tremble at his Presence, he hath it more.

Yea, and he hath the glory of his Power in shewing mercy, as wel as in destruction: we have a notable Scrip∣ture for that in the Book of Numbers, chap. 14. ver. 17. Moses is pleading for the people, and now saith he, I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying, The Lord is long suffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression:

Let the Power of my Lord be great, so that it seems the Power of God appears in forgiving iniquity and trans∣gression, as much as in destruction: If God should de∣stroy thee, indeed a glorious power of his would appear in thy ruine; but there wil appear as glorious a power of his in forgiving thee as in destroying; and may not this be a great encouragement to exercise Faith in the want of Sence.

Object. I but God's a Just God, and delights in the Glory of his Justice, and he will have the Glory of his Justice it may be upon me.

Answ. Nay, but thou mayest be encouraged to be∣leeve in this, Because he may have as much glory of his Justice in saving thee, as in destroying thee, yea, and he may have it more in saving thee, than in destroying thee.

For first, Thou tremblest before Gods Justice: if there were no more than that, for the heart from a free act, not from a forced act, but freely; even that, is as great a glory of Gods Justice as God hath from all the damned in Hell: In destroying of the Creature God hath not more glory of his Justice than when the Crea∣ture shal by a free work, and not by a forced work, come in and tremble before Gods Justice, and subject it's self to the Justice of God, and acknowledg Gods Righteous∣ness and Justice, if the Lord should destroy it: The glo∣ry that he hath upon the damned, it's but Passive, and that is not so much; but the glory of his Justice he hath in thee, in that thou doest freely come and acknowledg it, and tremble before it, he hath it actively, and this is more.

But Secondly, There is a way for God to have the glory of his Justice, and yet to save thee.

Object. You wil say, Though I come freely to ac∣knowledg Gods Justice, yet Gods Justice is not glorified fully.

Answ. I but there is a way wherein God may save thee, and yet have the glory of his Justice fully; And that is in Jesus Christ. Now what a transcendent En∣couragement is this to beleeve then, when there is no∣thing that can be conceived wherein God shal have glory one way, but he may have it the other way, and have it more abundantly. If God doth destroy a Creature, to what end is it, but that he might have glory? Now if God may have his glory, and save a Creature, may not that Creature have hope and ground to beleeve then? when as the Lord hath provided such a way of Salvation as his glory shall be no loser at al? And especially this, when the soul considers that God hath begun already such a work upon it, wherein he is in a way of glorify∣ing himself in the soul as much as if he should have de∣stroyed it. And thus much for the Encouragements of beleeving in the want of Sence.

I am willing to be somwhat large in this Point because it is so needful: Though I may treat of things that are but as riddles to many, yet to those souls that want the Sence of Gods Love, these things wil not be too large to such, but their hearts will greedily imbrace them. But because the want of beleeving in the want of Sence, is easier to speak of than to do, for it is one of the hardest things that are to beleeve in the want of Sence; therefore I will further proceed in way of Motives, to labor to draw the heart to the work of Beleeving.

CHAP. XX.

Motives to draw the heart to beleeve in want of Sence. 1 There's as great humility, and obedience to God in beleeving, as in any other way. 2 It is the safest way in the want of all ••ence to exercise Faith. 3 It is the soonest way to get the sence of Gods Love. 4 It is the proper time for Faith to act. 5 It is a glorious thing to beleeve in want of Sence. 6 It is that which honors God more than any other Grace. 7 It argues very much love to God. 8 Faith is wrought by the Almighty Power of God.

THe First is this: The great hindrance of belee∣ving in the want of Sence is this, The heart thinks that the work of Beleeving, and the work of Humility will hardly stand together; it thinks thus, that it is not fit for me to beleeve, but to be humbled before God, I, it is for others; they may beleeve, but I am a wretched vile Creature, and the work that I have to do is to be humbled.

1 Therefore the First Motive is this: That there is as great Humility and Obedience to God in beleeving as in any other way: and so this wil take away the Two Grand Hinderances of Beleeving: That is,

First, That it is for me to be humbled. And

Secondly, That I am very sinful, and it's for me to look rather to walk in obedience to God, and to do what God requires, before I should beleeve in the Grace of God.

Now Humility and Obedience are as eminent in be∣leeving, as in any way whatsoever it can be made eminent in. It a Creature would study wherein to shew the greatest Humility and Obedience, it must be in belee∣ving in the want of Sence, for there is much self denial in it; for the heart of man is set upon this, It would fain have somthing in its self: Faith it is an emptying grace, for to deny its own thoughts, and to venture its self against its own Sence; here is a great deal ol humili∣ty for men to do things when they see no Reason and en∣couragement for it: As a Servant, though he be not very humble, nor obedient, yet he wil do some works if he hath present encouragement before his Eyes, and sees present Reason for it: But here's the tryal of an obedi∣ent Servant, If he be required to do that which he sees no encouragement for before his eyes, nor able to under∣stand the Reason of such a thing: though it's true, it is his Masters wil that he should do it, yet he rather apprehends there wil come a great deal of trouble upon it, rather than good; yet if he doth it at the command of his Master, he shews himself humble and obedient in this: So certainly Humility and Obedience is shewn as much in this grace as in any: that's the most humble, and most obedient Chri∣stian that is the most beleeving Christian, This is the Command of God, that you should beleeve in his Son: THE Command of God, above all other Commands, that you should beleeve in his Son: And when the holy Spirit expresses the Subjection of the heart to God, he doth express it in the subjection of it to the Gospel in the way of beleeving in Christ whether there be Sence or no; in Rom. 10. 3. For they being ignorant of Gods Righteousness, and going about to establish their own Righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the Righteousness of God; so that you see that this is a great submission for the heart, for the heart to rest upon a Righ∣teousness above its self, a Righteousness that is in Christ, and when it sees no Righteousness in it self, yet to sub∣mit

to the Righteousness of Christ: I have many times thought that if I were thus and thus, God would shew Mercy to me, but the Lord hath withdrawn himself, and I am a wretched vile Creature: But the Gospel presents the Righteousness of Christ, and you must submit all your thoughts to the Righteousness of Christ: Here's the submission of your hearts. Those that are humble before God for the want of Sence, they think with them∣selves that they are willing to submit to God; if you should ask them, Would not you fain bring your hearts to be willing to submit to God? Oh yes, Oh that I could do it: If you would submit to him in any thing, submit to the Righteousness of Christ, submit al your thoughts, and al the Reasonings of your minds that are against the Righteousness of Christ, submit them to the Righteous∣ness of Christ: Here's Humility, here's Obedience, for the soul to give up its self to the Workmanship of God; it's true, I have nothing in my self, but I give up my self to the Workmanship of God and Christ, to do with me what he pleases. Here is Evangelical Obedience.

2 A Second Motive, It's the safest way in the want of al Sence to exercise Faith: What wilt thou do O thou poor Soul that hast no sence of the Love of God in Christ? Thou wilt be glad to take the safest way; cer∣tainly this is the safest, for if thou thinkest when thou wantest Sence, to be striving and laboring in the perfor∣mance of duty til Sence comes, and then thou wilt be∣leeve, thou doest not take the safest way indeed; but if thou canst cast thy self upon Free Grace as it's tendred in the Gospel: this is safer than any other way, for you shal see the danger of the other.

There is a great deal of danger in the putting thy self under a Covenant of Works; if thou goest the other way to work, as what Paul saith concerning Circumcisi∣on, If ye be circumcised, Christ profits you nothing: Why circumcised? Because that was an eminent work

of the Law which was required of them, and indeed a Seal to the whol Law; though it was a Seal too of the Gospel, and of the Righteousness of Faith, yet it was an eminent work of the Law besides, that those that were circumcised bound themselves to the Law in it, and therefore Christ did not profit them: So if you think to get Joy, and the Comforts of the holy Spirit in any other way but beleeving, you are in danger to put your selves out of the Covenant of Grace into a Covenant of Works.

And besides, There's very much danger in it this way, Because that by seeking to get it in working and laboring in the performance of Duties, thou art in danger never to have it, for it's never like to come that way, but by our beleeving, thou mayest be working any other way all thy life time, and never come to have it: Or if thou shouldest come to have it that way, and so if thou thin∣kest to ground thy Faith upon thy Sence still, it will be move dangerous; if thou shouldest have some joy and encouragement by thy striving, and then ground thy Faith upon that, thou art like to miscarry in thy Faith, and that Faith like to come to nothing in the conclusion: It's a dangerous thing to ground Faith upon Sence; yet many of us do rather seek to have our Faith the fruit of our Joy, than to have our Joy the fruit of our Faith; whereas▪ we should rather lay the Foundation of Faith, and then the Joy that comes after, that's right: If after an act of beleeving you come to have joy, that joy is right; but if after an act of Joy, and work of Sence, you then think you can beleeve, you may suspect that Faith not to be right: Indeed Good Works are a Nurse to Faith, but good Works are never to be the Mother of Faith.

But further, It's safe in this, Because it wil free you from danger of temptations: If so be that you be striving and strugling by Duties to get the Sence of Gods Love, if that be the thing and not by the exercise of Faith, you

will be liable to many temptations: As thus, you will be striving and strugling, but will not get strength, and then comes a Temptation; I have labor'd, and striven, and nothing comes of it, and therefore surely God loves me not.

Yea, There wil be this Temptation: Were not I as good break off and leave off al, I see nothing comes of my Duties; and so you wil have a temptation to turn aside after vanity, you wil be weary of the performance of Duty within a while, though now you set upon it; therefore it's the safest way for the exercising of Faith at the first in the want of Sence, to look upon the grace of God in Christ as it's tendered, and to cast the soul upon it.

Object. I but you wil say, Though there may be danger in my standing upon Sence, yet I should exercise Faith presently, there's danger of presuming, and ther∣fore by avoiding one evil, I should run upon another.

Answ. To help you against this, I shall shew you what Presumption is.

First, Presumption is this, It is to trust in Gods Mer∣cy out of Christ; that's the first thing in Presumption, and the most men in the world that do presume, they pre∣sume upon this ground, Because they hope in Gods Mer∣cy, but they do not apprehend the Mystery of the Gos∣pel, how Gods Mercy is to be let out unto them through Christ, and that there is not any one drop of Gods Mer∣cy but is to be communicated through Christ, and no o∣ther way; yet most men they rely upon Gods Mercy, and hope that God that made them will save them, and so trust upon Gods mercy out of Christ: Whatsoever hopes of Gods Mercy thou hast out of Christ is presump∣tion, for no Creature hath any thing to do with mercy, but in and through Christ: But perhaps those that live under the Gospel wil say no, they wil not trust in God but through Christ.

But then the Second thing is a trusting that God wil save them through Christ, and yet they mistake Christ, and do not understand Christ aright: as thus, They trust in Gods Mercy through Christ, only to save them from danger, to save them from the punishment of their sin, meerly for such self-ends as they may be delivered from punishment; and they see no excellency in Christ but as he is one that should deliver them from punishment; this is presumption too. But when the soul is not only convinc'd of this, and sees this by the holy Spirit, that all the Mercy of God is to be conveyed through Jesus Christ. But then Secondly, The Lord shews to the soul the Ex∣cellency of Christ, not only as one to deliver it from punishment, but as one in whom there is all good to make the soul happy for ever; there is Grace in Christ as wel as Pardon, there is Sanctification as wel as Redemp∣tion and Glorification; there is the bringing in the soul to God, and union with God, and the enjoyment of God in Christ, and that's the happiness that my soul de∣sires, not only to be delivered from Hell, but that I who was broken off from God through sin, may now come to have union with him, and so be happy in the enjoyment of God as my portion for ever; and thus I trust upon Gods grace in Christ: this is not presumption certainly. Though you could do this at such a time that you cannot find any ability in your selves to perform any duty, yet if you do now cast your selves upon the grace of God in Christ that you might have life in him, not only that you might have pardon, and to be delivered from Hell, but that you might have life; do this as soon as you wil, this is not presumption.

A Third thing wherein Presumption consists, is this, For men to beleeve that Christ is theirs, and that they shal be sav'd upon false grounds.

As thus, When men shall beleeve that Christ is theirs, and God wil have Mercy upon them, and save them, why? Because they are not so bad as others; because they do

some good things, and they live honestly among men, and serve God as they speak, and because God blesses them in their outward estates, and they have prayed to him, and God hath heard them, and such things; and thus they beleeve that Mercy is theirs, and they shall be sa∣ved, and because good people think wel of them, and they keep company with them that are godly; here's presumption. Therefore when I exhort to beleeve in the want of Sence, I do not exhort to this, that you should presently conclude in your own hearts, well, Christ is mine, and I shal certainly be sav'd; no, but the work that I exhort to, it is, To cast your souls upon the grace of God in Christ for life, and for salvation; it may be you cannot have a reflect act upon your hearts, and say, I am sure I shall be sav'd; for to exhort men and women to this, that they should perswade themselves they shall be sav'd, that's not the thing, for that must be a work of Christs Spirit. But the first act of Faith wher∣by the soul, though it doth not apprehend that it shal be sav'd, yet it wil venture its self upon the grace of God in Christ; and if I perish, I'le perish this way saith the soul: That's that which I exhort to, and not to make any con∣clusions that certainly I shal be sav'd upon such and such false grounds; no, if afterwards thou comest to make conclusions, it must be upon the testimony of the holy Spirit witnessing to thy soul, that this act of thine in ca∣sting thy soul upon Christ, is a true act indeed, and not a meer delusion. For that may be the way of coming to have Sence, not that I shall know by certain effects that my Faith is true, not that only, though that's one way; but by the testimony of Gods Spirit witnessing this unto me, that this work of imne in thus going out of my self, and rouling my soul upon the grace of God in Christ, that i•• is a true work, and not a delusion: It's true, where this witne••s of the holy Spirit is, it is ever according to the Word, and there wil follow gracious effects from it: But certainly there may come an assurance this way, & may be

as certain as I am certain that I see the light of the Sun by the light of the Sun; I need have no evidence that I see the light of the Sun but by the light of the Sun its self: And so there may be that certainly of the souls beleeving by the evidence of the work its self, by a work of enlightening by the Word; and this is another manner of ground of my joy, than because I am not so bad as others, and be∣cause God blesses me in my outward estate, and the like; no, I have found such a mighty work of God upon me, carrying me to his Son, and I do find now such an evi∣dence of the Spirit that this is the work of God, so that I am become a new Creature, I am not only not so bad as other men, but I find a mighty change in me from death to life, I find I live by new Principles, and have a new Rule, and have new Ends that I propound to my self in all my waies: But this is after this work of Faith, from the effects of it. So that it is evident that your beleeving in the want of Sence is not Presumption, but the safest way that can be taken.

3 The Third Motive is this, That it is the soonest way to get the sence of Gods Love.

Object. You wil say, Why? if I could find my self to be able to overcome my corruptions, and perform such and such duties as others are able to do, then I am per∣swaded I should have the sence of Gods Love; but I think I shall never have it till then.

Answ. Thou goest the furthest way about; whe∣ther ever God wil give it that way or no, it's a question: But if God should be so indulgent as to give it thee at last, yet it wil be a great while first, and thou wilt be held un∣der the spirit of Bondage a long time.

Object. You will say, We cannot do it in our selves.

Answ. It's true; no more can you do any thing else; but let there be that power that you endeavor to put forth in other things, do you endeavor to put it forth here, and endeavor it in the first place (I speak to such

as are sensible, that they have not the sence of Gods Love unto them, and are longing and thirsting after it.) that I confess: wil come among the Directions, but it's necessa∣ry here for the right understanding of what I mean: when I affirm, That it's the speediest way to get sence, for to labor to put forth an act of Faith even presently: Thou complainest of thy dead heart, and if it were more quick, thou shouldest then beleeve; let the assure thee, there's no such quickening grace as Faith is, The Just shall live by Faith; and the Scripture tels us, that the Lord hath quickned us; in Col. 2. 13. You being dead in your sins, and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath be quickned together with him; How? Having forgi∣ven you all trespasses; so that the quickning of the heart you see it is in the work of Justification, it's in the forgi∣ving of our trespasses: we first would fain have our hearts quickned, and then we would beleeve that our sins are for given us; no, but beleeving in the grace of God for Justification, that's the way of quickning; Sanctifi∣cation doth follow after Justification, and therefore the soonest way to get grace; and what sence you would have in the Love and goodness of God, is by beleeving; that's the speediest way, you do but beat al out the bush in any other way: you wil get it abundantly sooner this way, in laboring to stir up acts of Faith, in beleeving in God, than you can do in any other way whatsoever. That may be done in some hear this way, that may not be done in some months or years in any other way.

4 A Fourth Motive is this, Labor to stir up Faith, and to walk by Faith in the want of sence, because even when sence fails, then is the proper time for Faith to act, and then Faith doth appear in its own native excellency, in the proper colors or it.

As for Love (by comparing one Grace with another, we shal come to understand either Grace the better) for me to love another when I see all things lovely in them,

and when there is nothing that any way discontents me, here doth not appear any great excellency in Love; who cannot but love such a one when there is al things lovely? But when you can love, even though there be cross dispo∣sitions, though there be many things done that do dis∣please you, and unlovely, yet you can love, your love goes through a great many difficulties, and though there be much water, it cannot be quenched: Water will quench a little spark, but it cannot quench a great deal of fire; I, this Love is somwhat indeed. So it is here in Faith; It is not so much for a man to beleeve when he hath all kind of encouragements for his beleeving, when he hath sence to help him too, and experience, and all things goes according to what is spoken in the Word: But for me to beleeve though things seem to go quite con∣trary to my Faith, though things be cross, here is the proper act of Faith, and the excellency of Faith: for me to be able to beleev against discouragements, as it was the commendations of Abrahams Faith to beleeve against hope, and above hope; whatsoever there is against my Faith, yet to beleeve: Certainly there were no great need of the Grace of Faith, if we had alwaies sence, if we had alwaies God in sight, and Heaven, and al the Glory that God hath laid up for his people; if there were al∣waies this in our eye, then there were no great need of Faith; and therefore in Heaven such kind of Faith as this wil fail; the Scripture saith, that Faith and Hope wil cease, but Love continues; it's because that then they shal have alwaies sight: But when there is no sence, then appears the proper act of Faith, therefore labor in the want of Sence to put forth Faith.

5 Fiftly, The beleeving in the want of sence, is a most glorious work in its self; there's a great deal of Glory in it. I remember three things that Luther speaks of, that are the hardest things to be done in the world; and one is, To beleeve things that seem to be impossible: And the

other is, To trust in God, and beleeve in him, when he shews himself to be an Enemy: And the third, To hope in things that are defer'd: These are the hardest things to beleeve; Things impossible; To rely upon God, though he shews himself to be an Enemy; And to hope in things that are defer'd: but though they are very hard yet certainly they are glorious works of Faith. And a∣nother Speech he hath; Faith if be strong, it doth ac∣knowledg a God; what though God seems to leave the soul? yet then a strong Faith will acknowledg God a Receive of the soul at that time: And again saith he, When God doth seem to persecute a soul, yet it wil ac∣knowledg God to be the helper of the soul at that very time; when God seems to damn a soul, he acknow∣ledges God to be a Savior to the soul at that very time: Here's the strength of Faith, and this is a glori us work of Faith, To acknowledg God that forsakes to be a re∣ceiver of the soul; God that seems to persecute, to be a Helper; God that damns, to be a Savior of the soul; here's a glorious act of Faith; and certainly it's glorious in the eyes of God, and in the eyes of his blessed Angels; it's such a glorious act, wherein the very Angels attain not too: There's no act that we read that the Angels have in Heaven greater than this, Though he kils me, yet wil I trust in him; that act of Job was a glorious act; the Scripture doth not mention any more glorious act of any of the Angels in Heaven than that act is; they have altogether sight, they see the face of God, and have no temptations to distrust in God; but in the midst of temptations, and when God seems to come out to kill a soul, yet then to rely upon his grace in Christ, here's a most gracious act of Faith.

6 A Sixt Motive is this, As it's most glorious in its self; so it's that which honors God more than any other Grace: You know what the Scripture saith of Abra∣ham, he gave glory to God by beleeving: Why? would

not you fain give glory to God in the greatest measure that possibly you can? If you would, it is by walking by Faith when God is out of sight, and when all things that might be otherwise encouragements seem to be out of sight. You give God here the glory not only of his Po∣wer, and Goodness, and Mercy, but his Faithfulness: It's a notable Story that I remember Plu∣tarch hath concerning Alexander, in refe∣rence* 1.6 to his Physitian Philip: Alexander had a Physitian which was named Philip, in whom he did much trust for his Faithfulness, whom one Permenio sought to defame to Alexander, and wrote unto him, that he was bribed and corrupted by Darius with large promises of great Riches to take away his life by giving of him poyson: some time after, such a Letter being brought to Alexander, he made none of his Familiars acquainted therewith: but that he might shew his confidence that he had in Philip, when the hour came that he should take his Medicine, Philip came into the Chamber, and brought a Cup in his hand with the Potion he should drink; Alexander then gave him the Letter, and withal cheerfully took the Cup of him, shewing no manner of fear or mistrust of any thing, and put it to his mouth, and drunk of the Potion before the Letter could be read: By the which he did, as if he should have said, See how you are accused, but yet for all that I am not afraid, but put confidence in your Faithfulness still. I would apply it thus: Did not Alexander honor his Physitian very much in this thing, in shewing to all the world how he durst trust him? And though he had such a temptation to suspect him, and to call him into question, yet he would hearken to no such temptation, but would venture his life upon him: It Alexander had given his Physitian never so much, it could not have been such an honor to him, as to shew how he would trust him in such a case as this: If we hear such and such an Accusation of such an one, yet if our hearts

can trust in them, still it's a great honor that we put up∣on them. Now then consider what honor Faith puts upon God; it's true, our lives are in Gods hands: Saith Temptation and base Unbelief, God wil leave you one day, God intends no good to you, all that you have is but to prepare you for further wrath, you wil perish at last in such a way as this, God wil fail you at last: Temp∣tation would perswade us that God rather hated us in all that he doth, than intends love to us: When Tempta∣tion hath said what it can, yea, when things do seem to works as if God would destroy us at last; saith Faith, but though he kill me, I will trust upon him, I will venture my Life upon him; yea, and I will ven∣ture my life upon God in his waies; I am resolved whatsoever I suffer, and whatsoever I meet withal in those waies here, I'le lay down my life, and venture my Eternal Estate upon God in these waies of his: it may may be the world scorns me, and mocks me, and saith they are but Fancies and Conceits: But wel saith the soul, here I have pitcht my Anchor, and here I'le venture my Soul and Eternal Estate upon God in such waies as these are, although God doth seem to come against me as an Enemy; here's honor that we put upon God: Oh what honor is it to God when we so beleeve against sight: the Lord was so wel pleased with this work of Abrahams Faith, that be doth renew his Covenant with an Oath; he swears to him then what he wil do for him: Oh it did so take the heart of God that the Lord then took a solemn Oath that he would be his God, and the God of his Seed, Oh when the Lord sees a soul put such an honor upon his Faithfulness, then he doth not only promise, but swears to do good to that soul: As when men wil be tempting of God through unbeleef, the Lord swears against them, as against the people of Israel, the Lord is provoked a∣gainst unbeleef, when you wil tempt him that way; as they said, And can God prepare a table in the wilder∣ness? And there are the Children of Anach, and walls

that reach to Heaven: Why? what are these the things that wil cause you to distrust in me, and be thinking of turning back again to Egypt? I swear in my wrath that you shall never enter into my rest, saith God: And so on the other side, when things seem to go quite contrary, and yet saith the soul, well, come what wil come, let me suf∣fer never so much, I'le venture al, not only my Credit, and Liberty, and Comforts, I'le venture not only my present, but my eternal estate, and I'le lay my self at Gods feet: Now when the Lord sees this, Oh it's that which pleases him at the very heart, and he is ready to swear that this soul shal never miscarry: Oh it's a Grace that doth much honor God.

7 And its a grace that doth argue very much Love to God: You say, Oh that you could love God more? those that beleeve most, they love most; as I hinted be∣fore, Love is seen in this, that I wil not regard any accu∣sations; the main work of Love is this, That it makes me that I can trust my self with my Beloved; as it is said of the good wife in the Proverbs, That the heart of her husband can trust in her; let any come and accuse his wife never so much, yet his heart can trust in her; strong Love cannot stand with Jealousies: Certainly where Jea∣lousies are upon every little occasion ready to rise, it is from the want of Love; and so where there is a jealousie of God, there can be no hearty love.

So likewise about our listening to Accusations; If I do not love such and such, if any do accuse them to me, I can quickly hearken and entertain any accusation of them; but if I love them, I wil not entertain readily any accusations of them: As where there is several parties of men, and the Bond of Love is broken, let there be any ac∣cusation against one that is in their way▪ they wil enter∣tain it; but let there come any accusations against men that are of the contrary party, they wil not so readily en∣tertain them: So, if we did love God, we would never entertain any ill reports of God: where the heart doth

stand out against any ill reports of God, certainly the soul doth love God exceedingly.

8 I'le give you one more Motive: Consider this, That Faith wheresoever it is, it is first wrought by an Al∣mighty power in the soul; Ephes. 1. 18, 19. The ex∣ceeding greatness of Gods Power whereby he raised up Christ from the dead, appears in the work of Faith: Consider this, If there he such an infinite power of God, the same power that raised Christ from the dead put forth in▪ Faith at first, then surely Faith is able to do great things: Thus I would reason; That thing that hath the choice of Gods Power, the excellency of the Power of God, the thing wherein the glory of Gods Power appears in above all other things, that thing hath a great deal of power put into it, and is able to do great things: But so it is with Faith, read over al the Book of God, and you never find such expressions of Gods Power for the doing of any thing that ever he did since the world be∣gan, as in the 1. of the Ephesians, are expressions of his Power in working Faith in the soul: surely then one that hath any hope of having the work of God upon him, should argue thus, Hath God put forth such an Almigh∣ty Power in the working of this Grace in my soul, and shall this Grace be able to do nothing? If this Grace in my soul were only able to beleeve in God so long as I have God in sight, a little power would serve for this: but my Faith is a Grace that hath a great deal of Gods Power in it, and therefore God expects that there must be such things done by it as it may shew forth the great∣ness of his Power. If God gives a man only Natural Parts, he would have them to be improved to the height of them: When God works Faith in the soul at first, saith God, I'le put forth a Power even beyond whatso∣ever I put forth before, above all my Works that I have made: when I come to make a Beleever, and to work Faith in the soul, there shall be the choice and excellency of my Power: when this is done, saith God to the soul,

Oh Beleever, now walk so as to manifest that which is done in your souls, wherein the excellency of my Power doth appear, and by doing so, we shall surely walk in a Gracious, and Holy, and Blessed way by Faith in the want of all Sence.

CHAP. XXI.

Motives to stir up weak Beleevers to the exercising of their Faith, when they want Sence. 1 Their Sence of Gods Love afterwards will be sweeter. 2 They be stronger against Temptations after∣wards. 3 It will turn their greatest afflictions into the greatest Blessings. 4 To have jealousie of God for withdrawing, is tedious to his spirit.

I Shall go on further in some few Motives for the stir∣ring up of weak Beleevers in the exercising of their Faith.

1 Surely in the first place, The sight and sence that we shall come to have after our beleeving when there was no sight, will be so much the sweeter and more com∣fortable; a mercy that comes after Gods withdrawing of himself, and our exercising of Faith, is the sweetest mercy of any mercy; when a mercy is raised from the dead, as Isaac that was born against the apprehension of common Sence, and was a child of Faith, his name was called Isaac; now Isaac signifies Laughter, because Isaac was a matter of much Joy to his Parents: and so

certainly whatsoever child it be that comes of Faith, is a child of Joy, whatsoever mercy comes upon the exercise of our Faith, and that when al things seem to work con∣trary, that mercy, Oh 'tis a sweet mercy, it will pay for all the affliction that we had in the time of the want of Sence.

2 If in the want of Sence, and the sight of Gods Love we can exercise Faith: That soul that can do so will be easily able to overcome almost any temptation after∣wards: If so be that thou canst so prevail by Faith up∣on thine heart to stand out in such an affliction as this is, when thou wantest the sight and sence of the Love of God, and yet thy Faith can work through this; if it can, it wil easily be able to overcome any temptation af∣terwards: As suppose in any other business, a man hath not the success he desired and expected, but is crost in it, it may be upon this, temptation is very strong upon some, and they begin to be discouraged: But for one that hath been acquainted with any Spiritual dissertions, and yet their Faith hath wrought through them; such a one wil think surely, it is not so much for me to go on in my way, and to work through this discouragement, the want of success in such a business, as it was once for me to go on, and to work through that discouragement that I had, namely, in the want of the sight and sence of Gods Love; Faith helped me at that dead lift then, and why not now? and so for any other affliction: Let any affliction be up∣on their bodies, or estates, in respect of their friends, of a∣ny that are neer to them, those afflictions are nothing in comparison of the want of the sight and sence of Gods Love in Christ: If the soul be but enabled here to work through this by Faith, it will find all afflictions to be but easie to him, therefore it is of great concernment for you to walk by Faith in the want of sence.

3 By this means if we can exercise Faith in the want of Sence, we shall turn the greatest Afflictions into the greatest Blessings; of all afflictions that are in the world,

the want of the sight and sence of Gods Love in Christ is the greatest affliction; but by the exercise of Faith we shall make this to be a blessing to us; we shal get abun∣dance of experience, and we shall come to have the Love of God more sweet unto us: and then having gotten through a difficulty as this is, we shall by it come to have more establishment a great deal in the constant way of our lives, and come to have more communion with God, and delight in God▪ and so we shall have a Blessing by that which is the greatest affliction of all.

4 Fourthly and lastly, Consider what a tedious thing it must needs be to the Spirit of God, for a Saint upon Gods withdrawing himself, and the want of sight, presently to have jealous thoughts of God: As it would be tedious to any loving Husband, if he could never go a∣broad upon any occasion, and be out of the presence of his Wife, but presently she were jealous; or if in the house he should find fault with any little thing, present∣ly she concludes her Husband loves her not, because his expressions are not so full, or his countenance so amiable at one time as at another; this would be very grievous to the spitit of a Husband to have such constructions to be made. Look how tedious it would be to the spirit of a Husband to have such ill constructions made by his car∣riage or absence upon any necessary occasion; so tedious is it to the Spirit of God for a soul to be making such ill constructions upon Gods withdrawing himself, or be∣cause he doth not alwaies manifest himself in the same way at one time, as at another: Oh let us take heed that we be not burdensom to the Spirit of God by our Unbe∣leef. There are many people that are partly afflicted by Melancholly and Unbeleef that are very tedious to the spirits of those they converse with; and as they are tedi∣ous to the Spirits of those with whom they do converse, so certainly their carriage is very tedious to the Spirit of God, they do grieve the Spirit of God by their Unbeleef, therefore let us take heed of our Unbeleef in the want of

Sence, and labor to exercise Faith.

Object. I but you will say, What should we do? it's easie indeed to Tell us that we should exercise Faith in the want of sight and sence, but it is not so easie to Do it.

Answ. I confess it is one of the hardest things in the world to exercise Faith in the want of Sence; therefore for help in this, take these Rules of Direction.

CHAP. XXII.

Directions for the exercise of Faith in the want of Sence. First, Be afraid of Ʋnbeleef as much as of Presumption. Secondly, Listen not to any thing that makes against the Word. Thirdly, One Promise is enough to rest upon, though you think other Scriptures are against you. Fourthly, Trea∣sure up some Principles before temptation that you will stick to, As 1 There can be no conclusion of Reprobation, as of Election. 2 It is better to set upon Duties though we cannot do them as we ought, than omit them. 3 Where there is no peace with sin, there sin is not a sufficient ground to hin∣der the peace of the soul. 4 Where the soul com∣plains for the want of Grace, it cannot conclude against it self that it hath not that Grace. 5 There is a Faith of Adhaerence when there is none of Evidence.

DIRECTIONS.

FIrst, Be afraid of Unbeleef, as much as you are a∣fraid of Presumption: If Beleevers, especially those that are weak, would be as much afraid of

Unbeleef, as they are afraid of the sin of Presumption. You shall have many that are afraid to presume, but it scarce enters into their thoughts to be afraid of Unbeleef; if I presume, then that's dangerous, I may quickly de∣stroy my self that way: But why should you not be as much afraid to destroy your self by Unbeleef; there is not only destruction in Unbeleef as wel as in Presumpti∣on, but there is a wronging of the Grace of God in it, and so there may be more danger of sin in the one thing than in the other; it's true, there is sin & danger in pre∣sumption, and there is sin and danger in unbeleef too; and the truth is, that unbeleef is a more secret sin, and that which we may fall into before we are aware, sooner than the other: Now if the soul would but reason after this manner, It's true, I think that the Promises of Mer∣cy belongs not unto me, and therfore I am afraid I should presume; but what if I should wrong the Grace of God! is not that a tender thing? and is there any thing in the world that God stands more upon to have honored than his Grace in Christ? and what if it should prove that I have wronged the Grace of God in Christ all this while, what a sad thing would it be! and would not that be as grievous to God as any thing else? Oh if you would but do thus, this would be a very great help to you; for there would be this Use of it, That it would make you to be willing to listen as well to those things that may further your believing in the in the grace of God in Christ that may ho∣nor Gods Grace as to listen to those things that may take you off. We find by experience, That those that are weak, let one speak to them never so much by way of encou∣ragement to Faith, they scarce listen to what is spoken, or doth not remember it; but whatsoever hints of any thing they have that any way may discourage them, that they mind, and their thoughts run after, and work upon, all that possibly they can: now it appears by this, that they are not afraid of the sin of Unbeleef so as of the sin of Presumption: Certainly next to that sin against the ho∣ly

Spirit, there is no greater sin in the world, than the sin of Unbeleef; and it is that which doth more cross the designs that God hath of honoring of himself, than any o∣ther sin whatsoever; therefore be afraid of it, and charge thy heart with it, as thou woul'dst charge thy heart with that which thou art most inclinable to: If thou wert in∣clinable to uncleanness, would'st not thou lay a charge upon thy heart to take heed of the least stirrings that way? If thou wert inclinable to worldline••s, would'st not thou lay a charge upon thy heart against that? So charge thy heart to take heed of any beginnings of the sin of Unbeleef, because that's the sin that thou art most in∣clinable to. If thou wert impatient, wouldest not thou be careful to charge thy heart to take heed of that sin? Charge thy heart to take heed of this sin of Unbeleef. That's the first Rule.

Secondly, The Second Rule of Direction is this, At any time when thou hast a word that doth but seem to make for thee, take heed that thou doest not hearken to any thing against that word, but require a proof for it out of the Word; as thus, If thou hast any thing in Gods Word that is presented to th••e, in any way for the hel∣ping of thy Faith in the want of Sence, never listen to a∣ny thing that makes against that word, but require a proof for it out of the Word: many times when we have a word that speaks well, and encouraging our Faith, we set many times our own fancies, and conceits, and surmi∣ses, and jealousies, and fears against the Word, and this doth us much harm: But when we have a word we should never listen to surmises, nor jealousies, and fears; but here's a Word, and can I have as much out of the Word against me in such a thing, as I have here in the Word to encourage me? doth the Word beat me off as well as encourage me in this way? If indeed I can bring out of the Word, that they that are thus and thus, have no Grace, that such and such things as these are, cannot

stand with true Grace; if I can prove this out of the Word, then it is somwhat. Where have you almost a∣ny man or woman that comes with any Objections a∣gainst their estates and conditions, with any of their doubts, that bring any Word for to strengthen their doubts withal? Indeed their doubts that are in them, seem to be very strong, and prevail much to discourage their hearts; but is it from the Word that their doubts are strengthened? You shall seldom hear them to bring any text of Scripture for their doubts; only they are a∣fraid, and was ever any of Gods People so as they are? But they come not thus, and say, Sir, Here's such a place of Scripture that I read such a day, and me thinks this Scripture makes against me. If you would go no fur∣ther than the Scripture for your doubts, it were an easie matter to help to answer them, for then we could shew you what God intends in that Scripture, but it's almost impossible to answer jealousies, and fears; we could an∣swer ten Scriptures sooner than one jealousie and fear, that hath no ground from Scripture: Give me but a Scripture for your doubts, I can give you another that may be for your encouragement; as that Scripture where Christ saith, He that comes unto me, I will in no wise cast off; the Scripture requires nothing but coming to him; and then, Ho, every one that thirsteth, come and buy without money, and take the Waters of the Well of Life freely: these Scriptures, we can plainly shew you the meaning of the Spirit of God in them for encouragement; but can you shew such Scriptures as any of your doubts are grounded upon? Many of you have many doubts concerning your Sanctification; but have you any text that tels you, that where Sanctification is not perfect, that there the soul hath no interest in Christ? Therefore this may encourage any soul to come in and beleeve, be∣cause there are no such Scriptures as doth tell any, That because they have not perfection in Sanctification, or be∣cause there are remainders of corruption in them, that

therefore they have no interest in God and Christ. If we would take no comfort but from Scripture, and we would listen to no Objections but from Scripture, then it were an easie matter to get Faith to be exercised, and we should walk by Faith more than we do, if we would rest upon the Word, both for the ground of our encou∣ragement, and for our doubtings, so as to resolve the Word shall be as much the ground of my doubts and fears, as it shal be the ground of my Faith and Comforts: Do but hold to this, and then you wil be mightily helped to walk by Faith, and not by sight; for though sight fails us, yet the Word never doth fail, but abides the same; a sure and an everlasting Foundation.

Thirdly, If you have any one sign that may encou∣rage you, you may take comfort from that though you find not another; If upon the searching in the Book of God, you find any one Promise making for you, though you may think other things are against you, that one is enough for you to rest your souls upon; for where there is one, though you are not able to apprehend the other, yet there are others too: For that's a certain Rule, Eve∣ry Promise doth hold forth Christ; and where there is any one Grace, there's all Grace, though it cannot be seen: As a man may know as certainly a wicked man by the living in any one known sin, and by his heart closing with it; though he doth not live in others; yet there is no sin mortified in that man that hath any one sin reigi••ing in him; that is, if he hath any one sin that he knows to be a sin, and yet his heart closes with it, and is not set a∣gainst it as an Enemy to him, this man hath not any sin mortified: so, where there is any one Grace, there is e∣very Grace, though it cannot be seen. If I should come to one that is carnal, and if I see but the sin of Covetous∣ness, of Ear••hlyness, of Worldlyness in him, if I should charge him, and say, that you are an unclean person too; he would defie it, he thinks himself far from it, Why?

Because he doth not commit the act of it: but that's certain, where thou art under the power of any one sin, there's no sin mortified: So, where any child of God can but find the work of any one Grace; it may be such a one will say, I can find no work of other Graces, but I bless God, there is some Grace I can find; as for instance, this Grace, That I love the Saints, I love the Brethren, and I love them because they are Godly, and upon no other ground; and I find I love the Word, and the more holy the Word is, the more do I love it: If there be but this one Particular, though thou canst not find the exercise of other Graces, yet thou mayest certainly conclude there are all Graces: All Graces are in that soul where there is any one Grace: this would be a mighty help to Faith in the want of Sence. When you come to examine your heart, it may be the Devil wil be putting you upon those Graces that are the weakest of all, and are most opposed by your corruptions, and will be ready to tell you, that you have no Grace because you have not that Grace: but is there any other grace that you have? If you can find in your souls there is any grace, certainly you may con∣clude, that you have an interest in God and his Love, though he be out of sight.

Fourthly, A Fourth Rule of Direction to walk by Faith in the want of sight, is this, Labor to treasure up some Principles, or some certain Conclusions and Truths that you will stick too, and resolve upon whatsoever temptations comes against them: As for Instance thus:

1 Here's one Principle which is as cleer as any thing in the world, and that I can easily convince any man of, that is not in a temptation; but if you be not satisfied in it before a temptation comes, you wil not be so soon con∣vinc'd of it when it is come; as this one Truth, That there is no threat in the Word of God that is absolute, so as that it may not be recall'd: Or rather take it thus;

There is no certain sign in the Word of God whereby any one can conclude themselves to be a Reprobate: Observe now the difference of Gods grace, how Gods grace is be∣yond his wrath and displeasure in this, in the manifesta∣tion of it: Promises of mercy you have absolute, but the threats of Gods wrath, you have none but conditional; yea, and so conditional as may be recal'd again: And signs of Election you have certain, whereby we may know our Election; but signs of Reprobation, whereby any man or woman while they live should conclude themselves to be Reprobates, there's none in all the Book of God, only that of the sin against the holy Spirit, which is a sin that such a soul that is making after God, and lon∣ging after the light of his face, is far enough from: Oh the grace of God in this for to help against unbeleef, and help our Faith; That God should be pleased for to ma∣nifest his Election certain, in the Word, We know your Election, saith the Apostle; he speaks of the Election of others, For our Gospel came to you, not in word only, but in power: but there is no certain tie of Reprobation, Those whom he hath predestinated, he hath called: we know by our calling, our predestination, but we cannot conclude our selves to be Reprobates; I confess there are some signs that are dangerous ones; that is, Such as may make men fear, yea, and conclude too, That if they should live and die in such a condition, then they were Re∣probates, that's certain: and some are more black brands than others of Reprobation, As the turning of the grace of God into wantonness, that's one of the blackest brands of Reprobation of any; or for God to suffer a man to prosper in a wicked course; but yet these are not cer∣tain: Though a soul doth turn the grace of God into wantonness, yet who knows but that God may convince that soul? Lay this as a Principle, That there can be no conclusion of any one, excepting that which I touched on before, no concluding that they are Reprobates: And whatsoever threatnings there are in the Word, they

are not so absolute, but there is a way that God pro∣pounds in the Word, a way for my, and for thy soul, to deliver my self, or thee to deliver thy self from the strength and power of those threatnings; that is, by be∣leeving, and by repenting: This is easie for men and wo∣men to beleeve; but in time of temptation, it is not so easie to beleeve this.

Oh lay this for a conclusion, let my condition be the worst that possibly can be imagined, let me lay up this son a Conclusion, There is no threat that is absolute, but the soul while it lives may be delivered from it.

And I hear this, That there is no Condition so sad that is a certain sign of a Reprobate: There can be no Conclu∣sions of Reprobation as of Election.

2 Another Principle is this, That it is better for to set upon those things that God requires of us though we can∣not do them as we ought, than wholly to omit them: You will find this an extraordinary help; I know no∣thing a greater hinderance to the work of Faith in the soul than this; for those that are enquiring after God and his Waies, because they cannot do Duties as they ought, or cannot get that good that they do desire, ther∣fore they think that they were better to let all alone: and Temptations work strongly that way, and if temptations can prevail over the heart in this thing, it hath yet enough to keep the soul under a spirit of bondage, and unbeleef alwaies: But if this be a conclusion laid, that I had better be doing what God would have me, and using the means that God requires, than let them alone; it were better to be doing, though I cannot do as I ought: As somtimes I have said of Water that doth run through a pipe, though it keep nothing in, yet it keeps the pipe sweet; so though you cannot remember any thing of the Word, but it runs through your memory, yet it keeps you from being mu∣sty, or from gathering filth: I come to a Sermon, indeed I cannot say I have gotten much by it; but thus far; if thou neglect the Word, thy hear will grow more corrupt a

great deal than if thou comest to the Word: And so, a man that is sick in his stomach, it may be he eats som meat, but his stomach casts it al up again; you will say, were not this man as good eat no meat at al? yet you wil give him meat for al that, for there is somthing that is turned to nourishment that doth uphold the life of the man: And so 'tis in the use of means, though we think that all the means are lost, yet there is somthing insensibly that doth work; and however, thou art in the way that God would have thee to be in; and if there were nothing else but this, this were enough: Lay this for a Principle, and it will be advantagious in the time of dissertion.

3 Another Principle is this, That where there is no peace with sin, there sin is not a sufficient ground to hin∣der the peace of the soul: I mean by that No peace with sin, not only that our consciences are against our sins, but that our hearts, our wills and affections are against them as well as our consciences; for I confess the consci∣ence of a wicked man may be against his sin though his sin doth close with his will and affections; but where there is a fight against sin by the will and affections, that soul feels sin to have a contrariety to the disposition of the heart, there is a contrary temper and disposition in the heart to sin; there the remainder of sin is not a sufficient ground to hinder the peace of the soul: There may be a great deal of corruption in the soul, but while it is as a disease, and not mingled in the very temperature of the soul, there it is not a sufficient ground to hinder the peace of the soul.

4 A Fourth Principle is this, That where the soul finds the want of any Grace, or at least sensible that it cannot be sensible as it would be, and doth hunger after that grace, and prize it above all comforts in this world, and that for the excellency there is in it, there the soul cannot conclude against its self, that it hath not that grace in it, it is too much boldness for the soul to con∣clude,

against its self that it hath not that grace in it, it is too much boldness for the soul to conclude, God hath ne∣ver wrought such a grace in me; if so be that I find, that because I have not the sence of that Grace, and the work of it as I desire, that this is the burden of my soul, it is that which is the grief of my heart, that I do want the ex∣ercise of such a grace, and the Lord knows how I would prize it, not only because it is necessary, I cannot be sav'd without it; but how I would prize it as that where∣in there is an Excellency, a Beauty, a Glory, and this is that which my soul longs for, and I am making after with all my might; such a soul cannot conclude, That that Grace is not wrought within it. Oh this would answer an hundred Doubts, and Queries, and Objections of ma∣ny people in the time of the affliction of their consciences about Graces, that will thus conclude, Well, Certainly there's such and such a Grace that I have not, and because I have not that, I am afraid I have none at all: But if this be put to thee, Is not this the burden of thy soul that thou wantest such and such Graces as these are? and dost thou not prize the happy condition of those that have them? and is not thy soul in a way of hungring and thirsting after that Grace, and laboring for it? Thou shalt speak against the grace and the goodness of God to thee, if thou shouldest conclude that thou hast not this Grace already; it may be in thee, and under the Clods, though perhaps thou dost not see it so cleerly in the fruit and effects of it.

5 A Fift Conclusion is this, That there is a Faith of Adhaerence where there is not a Faith of Evidence, lay up that; take the expression thus, There may be union with Christ, where there is no vision: It is no argument, because I have no vision, therefore I have no union; nei∣ther is it an argument, because I have not Faith of Evi∣dence, therfore I have no Faith of Adhaerence; a soul may truly and safely stick and cleave unto God, unto Christ, by a faith of Adhaerence, though it have no Faith of Evi∣dence

to it self for the present: this is helpful to the soul to help it in beleeving in the want of sence, when God is out of sight. If the soul hath not that Faith of Evidence that it doth desire, for it then to conclude it hath no faith at all, thou mayest have a Faith of Adhaerence, and thou shouldest try whether thou doest not find thy heart to cleave to Jesus Christ, and to close with him. Now these Principles are to be laid beforehand, and there is no man that is out of a temptation, but wil acknowledg these things.

CHAP. XXIII.

A Fifth Direction for the exercise of Faith in want of Sence; which is, When Reasoning and Temp∣tations wax strong, the way is not to answer them, but to pray. Sixthly, Set before thee, the Cove∣nant of Grace. Seventhly, Act Faith and Re∣pentance afresh.

FIfthly, Another Direction in the want of Sence, is this; That when Reasonings and Temptations grow strong, the way is not to answer them with Reasonings, and to seek to satisfie those temptations; but rather to fall to prayer, and to spread them before the Lord, as Hezekiah did Rabshekes rayling Letter: the Devil comes somtimes, and even rails upon God, and his Truths, and Waies, and Saints, but do thou go and spread them before the Lord, do not think to answer Reasoning with Reasoning, the Devil will be too hard; if thou beginnest to Reason with Flesh and Blood, and thinkest to satisfie thy self by thine own Reasonings, the Devil will be too

hard, he is too cunning a Logitian for thee; we must not sight with the Devil in his own way, that is, by Reason, for the Devils have stronger Parts and Reasons than we can have, if we rest to our own Understanding: But the way is to fly to Jesus Christ, to beseech him that he would answer these Reasonings and Temptations: Oh when a soul can in the quietness of it commit its self to Je∣sus Christ, and spread its case before him, Lord, I am put to a non-plus here, I know not what to say to my self, and my condition, only I think that I can say this, That I love thee, as you know when Christ spake to Pe∣ter, Lovest thou me? Lord, thou knowest that I love thee: It may be Temptation comes and saith, If you lo∣ved God, you would do thus and thus, and surely these and these things cannot stand with a true Love to God: it may be thou canst not answer every particular, but canst thou go in the quiet of thy heart, and appeal to God, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee, I know not what to say to these things that are suggested; but Lord, thou knowest that I love thee? Indeed if a man should come and bring some Evidences to you, and Reasons to con∣vince you, that your heart is naught, and your waies are evil; it's not enough for you to stand out and say, well, say what you will, yet I beleeve that my condition is good, and it's not so bad as you will make it; it's not for you to answer men so, but when there comes a temp∣tation of the Devil, you are not bound to give the Devil an accompt, as you are to give your Brother an accompt: If you can go into the presence of God, and appeal to God that your waies are right, and that God knows you love him, that may be an answer to a thousand temptati∣ons that comes into your minds: And if you can open your hearts freely in Prayer, and look up to Jesus Christ your great Champion, and desire his help to assist you in this Combate: this is a better way than to think to stand out with Reasoning and wrastling with temptation: Oh rather, rather appeal to God in Prayer, and open your

hearts to him, and that's the way. Luther used to say, That his Peayers were the Leeches of his Cares; as Leeches will suck out corrupt blood, so Prayers will get out the strength of temptations: Many Physitians in some cases will rather seek to purge the Body that way than by giving a Potion; the Leeches sucking out cor∣rupt blood will sooner clense the Body than a Potion: And so the Leeches of Prayer will many times sooner help against a temptation than any other thing that can be done.

Sixthly: Further, In the time of Dissertion, the Direction that we should take, is this; Labor to keep in thine eye, the Object of Faith: So as to behold and look upon that which may help thy Faith, set before thee, the Covenant of Grace, the Freeness, the Fulness of Gods Grace in Christ as 'tis revealed in the Covenant, the plentiful Mercy that is there, keep that in thine eye: Many when they want the sight of Gods Favor, they then are altogether poring upon their corruptions, looking upon the black side of the cloud; but though you can∣not apprehend yet, that God is yours, and the Favor and Love of God in Christ, yet you may keep in your eye those things that are the Object of the Faith of such as are true Beleevers; what is it that raises the Faith of Beleevers, but the presenting of the Glory and Riches of the Covenant of Grace to them? Now do not you turn away your eyes from it.

Object. You will say, But I know not whether it belongs to me.

Answ. Yet look upon it, keep your eyes upon it, upon some special part of the Gospel, some remarkable Scriptures as have most of the Gospel in them, as that, So God loved the world, that he sent forth his only begot∣ten Son, &c. and 2 Cor. 5. 19. And such Scriptures that hold forth much of the Gospel should be kept in your eyes, meditate on them, roul them in your thoughts and you know not what they may work.

Object. You will say, These things do belong to Beleevers.

Answ. Nay, They do not belong only to those that are actual Beleevers already; but they are to that end reveal'd, that they might work Faith where it is not: they have a generative faculty in them, it is through the Gospel that Faith is begotten, as wel as encreased; ther∣fore keep those things in your eye for the raising of your Faith: And that's another help in the want of Sence.

Seventhly, I shall give you one more, and that is, In the want of Sence and Sight, let it be you great care if you think you have not had Faith and Repentance be∣fore, yet now afresh to act it: That's likewise a Rule that upon any occasion in speaking to those in Disserti∣ons, I ever make use of, and shall ever as a special Rule as any I know for to help those that are in any spiritual Dissertions, to renew an act of Faith and Repentance, yea, if they think they never beleeved before, yet to strive to put forth a work of Faith and Repentance; that is thus, It may be the soul hath examined and searched to know what the condition is between God and it, and can find no evidence at all that ever it had any grace, yet what hinders but that you may now beleeve? do not spend so much time to look over your old Evidences, to find out your Evidences that were of ancient date, as forthwith to strive to put forth a new act of Faith: If thou beest non-plust with the temptations of the Devil, or thine own heart, that thou knowest not what in the world to say; but answer thus, Well, grant the worst that may be, Suppose al that hath been before were false, yet what hinders, but that now I may beleeve? Remem∣ber what hath been said, There is nothing that gives right to Christ but beleeving, and nothing gives any man right to beleeve, but beleeving, therefore what hinders but that at this instant I may beleeve? I do not mean this by be∣leeving, to conclude that my condition is good, for many Christians are held under the Spirit of bondage

by this, they think the Nature of Faith is this, For to conclude in their own thoughts, that their condition is good, and that they certainly shall be saved; that's a fruit of Faith, but not the Nature of Faith: The Nature of Faith is the rouling of the soul upon the free Grace of God in Christ. Now though there be many things that may hinder me from concluding that my state is good, yet there is nothing that should hinder me from rouling my soul upon the free Grace of God in Christ: A man hath some hope that he hath such an Acquittance, or a Bond among some Papers in his Boxes, but he cannot find it; if he hath to deal with one that's Faithful, he may go likely, and get his Bond renewed, or get an Ac∣quittance made anew before he can find his old one▪ So 'tis here, we having to deal with a Faithful God, when many times we have lost our Evidences, lost our bonds; the way is to go and renew our Acquittances, to renew our Bonds, to renew our Evidences; that is, to go and exercise Faith afresh; what hinders me that now this very morning or evening, but that I may put forth an act of Faith upon Jesus Christ.

I shall conclude with this one Note: I affirmed to you before, that there was a Faith of Adhaerence, where there is not a Faith of Evidence; let me now tell you, That there is a Venturing Faith, as well as of Adhaerence and Evidence: Indeed this Venturing Faith is an Adhae∣rance, but when the soul cannot have encouragement to beleeve under the notion of Adhaering to Jesus Christ, it may be the violence of temptation seems to drive it off from Adhaering: But for the helping of those that are under temptation, and want Sence altogether, let Faith be presented under the Notion of Venturing; though we have not the word in Scripture, yet we have the thing, as that of the poor woman of Canaan, though she were put off, and call'd a Dog, and the like, yet Dogs have crum••; and so that of Job, Though he kill me, yet will I trust in him: If I perish, I perish, as Esther said:

And so when the foul can but come to this, Well, it's true, I am out-reasoned by temptation, and I know not what in the world to say to my self what my condition is, I see I am puzled, and I am never like to work, out this temptation in that way of Reasoning I am in; but for my part, I am resolved upon this, If the Lord destroy me, he shall destroy me relying upon him; it's true, I do not know yet whether God will receive me or no, I have not that Evidence, and for my cleaving to the grace of God in Christ, whether I can do it o•• no I cannot tel, but this I am resolved, Here I will venture, and if I pe∣rish, I wil perish, casting my ••oul upon the Grace of God in Christ; this shall be my way: I am sure, if I depart from God, I must perish, if I should be weary of God and his Waies, and forsake them, and imbrace mine own sinful waies, I am certain that I shall perish there; but I'le rather do this, I will venture my soul here, and here I will lie as a poor, wretched, miserable Creature in my self, and I will cast an eye up towards his Holy Temple, towards the Grace of God, and here my soul shall pitch and venture, I'le cast Anchor here, whether the Tempest will be so great that it will break Anchor and Cable I know not, but I am sure if I do not cast Anchor, I shall run upon the Rocks and split, and suffer Ship-wrack.

I confess were not the soul in a temptation, this were not enough, meerly to venture, we must not rest in this, we must stil be laboring to find that our souls do adhaere, and cleave to the Grace of God in Christ, and never be at quiet till we have got some assurance of it too. But I declare what is to be done in the time of temptation; when a man is in a storm and tempest, then it is a work acceptable to God, and it hath had very often excceeding good success; when a soul not knowing what to do, yet at length it hath concluded thus, If I am undone I will be undone in Christs arms, and here I will hang, and ride at this Anchor, and if the Lord should shake me into Hell, yet I'le hang as long as I can, and here I'le venture:

Oh this will keep thee from departing from God, and wil be such an acceptable work to God as it's like that thou shalt not be long without some manifestation of God to thee to encourage thee in thy way: and for to make all the former good, I'le leave this one thing with you, and that's this; Know, that all times are not fit times for you to judg of your condition in; it's not a fit time to judg whether a Tree be alive or dead in the midst of Winter; 'tis not a fit time to weigh Gold when I am a∣broad in a tempest and storm; 'tis not a fit time to judg of the Constitution of ones Body in the Fit of a Feaver; and of the comliness of ones Countenance in the time of an Ague; no, if you would judg of the Body, you must do it when it is in health; and so if you would weigh Gold, it must be when the Scales may stand even: There are many poor weak Beleevers that did never pass any judgment upon themselves, but in the hour of a Tempta∣tion, which is the unfittest time; no, rather stay while you are your self, and then you may be fitter to judg of your estate.

These Directions may be some good help for your Faith in the want of Sence, that while God withdraws himself, yet you may be able in some measure through the Lords assistance to walk by Faith, when you cannot walk by sight.

CHAP. XXIV.

The Principal Ingredient in every Duty, is the acting of Faith: Refer'd to two Heads: First, How a Christian should walk by Faith in time of affli∣ction. Secondly, How he should walk by Faith when God calls him upon any difficult Service. Helps to walk •••• Faith, when God appears as an Enemy to the so〈…〉〈…〉 1 It hath been the condition of the dearest Saints. 2 It is Ʋnbeleef to appre∣hend him so. 3 If God were really so, fly not from him. 4 If thy soul be at enmity with▪ sin, God is not thine Enemy. 5 There is enough in Christ to reconcile Enemies. 6 Consider it is for thy neg∣ligence. 7 Trust in God though he appear never so terrible.

THe Principal thing in a Saints Walk with God, is to walk by Faith: Observe but this Rule in all Du∣ties that you do perform, let it be your main care to act Faith in the Duty: it is that which Beleevers are faulty in, they make conscience of such and such Duties, and they are careful, not only to do those things that God re∣quires, but to do them in that manner that God requires, that is, in Sincerity, in Zeal, in strong Affections, in Se∣riousness; yet they do not so much consider of the acting of Faith: The Principal Ingredient in every Duty, is the acting of Faith; ••f we Pray, it is the Prayer of Faith; if we Hear, it is mixing of the Word with Faith; if we receive the Lords Supper, it is the discerning of the Lords Body; in every Service we must look how much

Faith hath been exercised; If you perform any Duty, look back, I have done what God requires of me, but how have I done it? how hath my soul closed with the free Grace of God in Christ after I have done all that I can? yet have I been beat down in mine own thoughts, and advanced free Grace? have I found my soul acting upon the Promise at this time, when I have been Praying, and Hearing, and Receiving? These thoughts are but seldom in the hearts of many Christians, they look at rather the performing of a Duty in a Moral way, than in a true Christian and Evangelical way. I shall proceed to some further Cases about the walking by Faith: And they may be referr'd to these Two Heads.

First, Either, How a Christian should walk by Faith in time of Affliction. Or,

Secondly, How he should walk by Faith when God cals him to any difficult Service.

When God laies any affliction upon us, yet it is not Sence that we give way to, but it is Faith that we act in our afflictions.

And then when God cals me to any work, though at the first I may think it is beyond me, I shall never be able to accomplish it, yet in this difficult work I am to walk by Faith, and act Faith, and if any thing will carry me through, it is Faith.

First for Afflictions, they are of two sorts: Either Inward, or Outward Afflictions.

Even that which we have treated about already, The want of the sight of God, is a great inward affliction, and we might bring it under this Head: yet there are some inward afflictions that are beyond this, Not only that God withdraws himself from the soul, and there is the want of sight; but what if God comes against the soul as an Enemy? that's beyond Gods withdrawing of him∣self, so that there is no sight of him: and yet even then a Saint should walk by Faith; not only when God is withdrawn, but when God shall appear as an Enemy;

for many souls are ready to say, The Lord hath done so to me.

As to the Help of that, when God appears as an Ene∣my to the soul: Know,

1 First for your help that you may not despond, and Faith may not be shattered, That this is not such a condition, but others of the dear Saints of God have been put into heretofore: 'tis some encouragement for the act of Faith, when I know that my condition is not such but that others of the dearest Saints of God have been in that condition, and yet in that condition, they did walk by Faith, and so got out of it: In Job, 13. 24. see there what the complaint of that holy man was, Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine Enemy? here you have both these: The want of sight, yea, here is a degree beyond that, Thou hidest thy face, and hol∣dest me for thine Enemy: God appeared so against him even as an Enemy; it was not in regard of his outward afflictions and losses that he look'd at so much; but in re∣gard of Spiritual afflictions that were upon his soul, God did tear and rend him even as an Enemy: and so many others of Gods Servants; Heman in the 88. Psalm: If you read that Psalm, you shal find that surely it was no less that God did appear to him, but as an Enemy.

2 But for our further help, Know, It may be that these are but the dark apprehensions of Unbeleef, and not indeed that God really is as an Enemy to you: It was certainly the unbeleef of the people of Israel which cau∣sed them to say, when they were brought into straights, God hath brought us into the Wilderness because he HATED us; presently concluding that God was an Enemy, because they had not what they would have; and that's the vain froward disposition of some, if they cannot have what they would have, it is because God hates them: This is thy Unbeleef that thou art to check thy self for.

3 But suppose there were a reallity in it, That God

did appear indeed as an Enemy, certainly the best way is not to fly from him; though he hath the Sword of Ju∣stice in his hand ready to strike thee, yet the best way, it is to come and crouch before him, to lie down in his presence, to put thy neck even to the stroke of Justice, and to exercise a Venturing Faith: howsoever fly not from him though he doth appear as an Enemy, for there can be nothing got in flying from him.

4 Yea but Fourthly, If thy soul be at enmity with sin, certainly God is not thine Enemy whatsoever he doth appear to thee: though he seem to come in never such a terrible manner against thee, yet if thou canst but look into thy heart, and see whether there be, not only in thy conscience, but in thy very heart, contrary Prin∣ciples unto it: God is never an Enemy to that soul that is an Enemy unto sin.

5 And yet further, in the fifth place; Suppose there were a reallity that God were an Enemy, yet know, there is enough in Christ to reconcile Enemies, in Rom. 5. 10. For if when we were Enemies, we were reconciled to God: even when we were Enemies; therfore though thou beest an Enemy, and though God appears to thee as an Enemy, yet when we were Enemies, we were re∣conciled to God: Thou mayest then act Faith upon the purchase of the Blood of Christ, though thou apprehen∣dest thy self as an Enemy, and God coming as an Enemy against thee.

6 And yet further, It may be it is because thy heart is loose, and careless, and negligent in thy way, that ther∣fore God doth seem to come against thee as an Enemy, as he did against Moses; you know the Lord came in a ter∣rible manner against Moses to stay him in the Inn; sure∣ly then he came in the appearance of an Enemy: but it was because Moses had been negligent of the circumcising of the Child. Thou art to search and examine thy way, what negligence, and loosness, and wantonne••s, and dead∣ness is in thy heart, what sluggishness is in thy heart;

why? God doth but draw his Sword to awaken thee, and to stir thee up, and do but thou do as those that Joab came against, Send the head of Shimei the son of Bicr••, and we are gone: so do thou renounce thy sin, and God will appear no more as an Enemy.

7 Moreover: Yet still let Gods appearance be never so terrible, it's fit for thee to trust in him, and to say with Job, Though he kills me, yet will I trust in him: Suppose he doth intend to destroy me, but yet if I be destroyed, I will trust with my heart making towards him, my heart shall rely upon him even while he is stri∣king the fatal blow upon me: Faith is able to see Love through frowns; though God seem'd to be never so an∣gry with David, yet Cast me not out of thy presence. It is a Speech of Luther, speaking in the commendations of Faith, That's one great commendation for a man to love God when God shews himself an Enemy; and that is the excellency of Faith to enable the soul to do that. These Meditations may be some help to the exercise of Faith, and walking by it in such a condition.

But God lets out Satan upon me in great, and sore, and strong temptations; and would he let out the Devil up∣on me so as he doth, if he lov'd me? but shall I be able to walk by Faith, when I am hurried by the temptations of the Devil? That's a sore and a great affliction that the Saints endure. As for that, still you must know that it hath been the portion of the dear Saints of God to have Satan let out upon them too: we shall find that God saith to Satan, that he had given Job into his hand, and Satan was let out upon him, and that in a fearful manner: we reade in Luke, of a daughter of Abraham, and yet she had been bound by Satan for eighteen yeers toge∣ther: Satan doth prevail many times very much upon the dear Children of God: Paul had a prick in the flesh, a messenger of Satan that was sent to buffet him: And Luther often complains of most horrid temptations of Satan, and makes all the outward afflictions that he

endured, and enmity, and rage of all the Popish party to be nothing to those inward afflictions that he had in his Spirit: I remember that upon it he saith, that there are Three things make a Divine, Reading, Meditation, and Temptation; In Meditation he includes Prayer, which the Scripture cals the Meditation of the heart: these make a Divine, and God did prepare him for great Ser∣vices that he intended for him by his temptations upon him.

CHAP. XXV.

Encouragement for a Saint at that time when God lets the Devil out upon him. 1 The Devil was more upon thee, when thou wert less sensible of him. 2 God hath good ends in it. 3 Consider that Christ himself was tempted, for two Ends: First, That he might be a merciful High-Priest. Secondly, That he might take out the venom of temptation. 4 Consider Christ prayeth for the tempted. 5 Christ hath broke the Serpents head. 6 Consider the Promises that temptation shall not prevail. 7 Think not to over∣come Satan by Reason. 8 The power of sin is a grea∣ter evil than the strongest temptation. 9 Walk by Faith in the stirrings of corruptions.

KNow therefore further for the help of thy Faith in this: Let not thy heart despond; though the Lord let out the Devil upon thee, yet walk by Faith in that condition: For,

1 First, At such a time when thou wert not appre∣hensive nor sensible of Satan, then he was worse upon thee, than he is now, though thou hadst not those horrid

temptations that now thou hast, yet he had more power over thee then, than now; and therefore thou hast no cause to be discouraged in this.

2 Lay this up as a help of thy Faith, That God hath very good ends why he doth exercise his dearest Servants even with such a heavy affliction as this is, The strong temptations of Satan: Satan in this case is like unto the Shepheards Dog; the Shepheard sets his Dog to worry the Sheep a little, but it is to bring the sheep in, and not to kill them, for he cals it off when he pleases: So Satan is as it were the Dog that God, the great Shepheard, doth ••end somtimes to worry the Sheep, but so as he cals him off when he pleases, it is but to bring those that are wan∣dring out into the Fold: And as tempests and storms cleer the Air, even so hideous and terrible temptations will cleer the soul; the soul comes to cleer up after them, you come to know your hearts a great deal better than before.

3 Further, Know that Christ himself was tempted: If you read but the story of Christs temptations in the 4. of Matthew, it is a story of excellent use, and a migh∣ty encouragement for the exercise of Faith in the time of Temptation. Even the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God did not escape it, but the Devil had so much power even to carry his Body up and down, and to set it upon the Pinacle of the Temple, and tempt him to as hideous things as you are tempted too: he tempted him even to the greatest Idolatry that ever was, To fall down and worship him; to the most fearful Blasphemy, To cast off God his Father, and to acknowledg even the Devil himself to be a god unto him. All these were from these Two Ends: Either,

First, That Christ might be a merciful High-Priest: as that he might be sensible of your temptations, he being tempted so himself; Christ knows what it is to be tempted by the Devil, therefore in Heb. 4. 13. We have

not an High-Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our Infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin: it's true, the temptation did not prevail in him to sin, yet he was tempted likewise in all things; there's no temptation more hideous and blasphemous that Satan doth tempt us withal, than he tempted Christ himself; and this was, That he might be a merciful High-Priest, and that he might be touched with our Infirmities.

Secondly, Yea, and not only so, but you are to look upon the Temptations of Satan as part of his Humiliati∣on, part of his Sufferings that is meritorious, as that which takes out the sting and evil of all temptations; the venom of the temptation is taken out by Christs being willing to subject himself unto temptations; as the sting and venom of death, is taken out by Christs subjecting himself unto death; so the sting and venom of tempta∣tions is taken out by Christs subjecting himself unto them.

4 And yet further, We find that Christ prayes for his People; that they may not be overcome with tempta∣tions: Thou must walk by Faith in the time of tempta∣tion, that is, not only act thy Faith upon Christs temp∣tations, for to take out the sting and venom of it, but act thy Faith upon Christs Prayer: That Prayer that Christ prayed for Peter, surely he made it for you too; you may as well apply that Prayer for Peter, as Paul in the Hebrews applies the Promise that was made to Jo∣shua: In Luke, 22. 31, 32. Christ tels Peter that Satan had desire to winnow him as Wheat; but Christ prayed that his Faith might not fail; and observe, The main thing that is to be exercised in the time of temptation is Faith, if Faith doth not fail, the soul is well enough; and Christ praies for this: Now you know what Christ saith, That his Father doth hear him alwaies. In time of temptation it's best to pray much rather than to reason with temptations, and make use of the prayer of

Jesus Christ: Oh blessed God, did not thy Son when he was in the daies of his Flesh, pray for one of his Mem∣bers, that when Satan would sift and winnow him, that his Faith might not fail; Oh Lord let me have the fruit and benefit of this Prayer: this is that which I act my Faith upon.

Again, The stirring up Faith is the special help against temptations; in 1 Pet. 5. 9. you shall see there, that the way against temptations is not for the soul to sink down in a sullen and discontented way to have horror and trou∣ble to overwhelm it, but to stir up an act of Faith; in verse 8. he saith, That our Adversary the Devil like a roaring Lyon walketh about, seeking whom he may de∣vour, whom resist STEADFAST in the Faith: It is the work of Faith* 1.7 that is the great help in resisting the strength of temptations; 'tis not so much to stand reasoning the case, Oh this temptation is a hide∣ous thing, and I hope I shall never yield unto it; no, but exercise Faith, and this Shield of Faith will quench the fiery darts of the Devil, Ephes. 6. 16. Faith is not only a Shield to keep off the fiery darts, but to quench them.

5 Besides, Know for the help of thy Faith in time of temptation, That Christ hath broke the Serpents head already, he hath broke it for thee, according to that Pro∣mise, The seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head: The Serpent can but nibble at thy heel, his head is broke, his strength is over-power'd; and the conquest that Christ hath over the Devil we find set out in Coloss. 2. 14, 15. and Heb. 2. 14, 15. In Col. 2. it's said, And having spoiled Principalities and Powers, be made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it; that is, in his Cross, He hath spoyled Principalities and Powers: by Principalities and Powers, must be meant, the Angels of Darkness, the Devils, he hath spoi∣led them; when he was upon the Cross, he took away

their power, and spoiled them, and triumphed over them: so that they should never be able to mischief his Saints walk by Faith in temptations by exercising of it upon this expression of Christ. And the other Scripture in Heb. 2. For as much then as the children are parta∣kers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that hath the power of death, that is, the Devil: And deliver them who through fear of death, were all their life time subject to bondage: Here's a most sweet and excellent Scripture to exercise Faith upon in time of temptation; Christ through death, hath destroyed him that hath the Power of death, that is, the Devil; the De∣vil comes with hideous temptations, and tels thee thou shalt die and perish, and makes thee apprehend death in a very terrible manner: Christ hath destroyed him, to deliver thee who through the fear of death wert all thy life time subject to bondage: It may be through the strength of temptation, all thy daies thou hast been in bondage; now this was one end why Christ died, that he might destroy the Devil that hath so much power in death, to afflict the soul with the dreadful apprehensions of it.

6 And then likewise, Know there are many excellent and sweet Promises that we have in Scripture, that temp∣tation shall not prevail; and the way to help against that is to turn to those Scriptures, and to work thy Faith up∣on them; as I'le name some, 1 Cor. 10. 13. There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to men; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation al∣so make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bean it: Here's as full an expression as our hearts can desire; But God will not suffer us to be tempted above our strength, but will with the temptation also make a way ••o escape: Plead this Promise with God in Prayer, act thy Faith upon this Promise, challenge this Promise in the time of

temptation, and this is the way for to be delivered from the strength of temptation: And in Rom. 16. 20. The God of Peace shall tread down Satan under your feet shortly: The God of Peace; observe, it's not only a Promise that Satan shall be trodden down, but God shall tread him down as a God of Peace: And mark the issue of the acting of Faith upon such Promises as these: In Rom. 8. 38, 39. you know what the Triumph of the A∣postle was, That he was perswaded that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other Creature should ever separate him from the Love of God; not the chief of all the Devils: And his soul triumphs in this.

7 Yea further, For the help of thy Faith, be sure to remember this Rule, That if you think to overcome Temptations by reasoning, the Devil will be too hard for you, for he is the old Serpent, very full of Skill, Know∣ledg, and great experience that he hath had for these six thousand years; Oh there are Wiles of Satan, and Depths of Satan, he hath more Natural strength in Un∣derstanding, and a deeper reach in things, than all the men in the world have; though he be fallen, yet he hath not lost all the Natural Understanding that he had when God made him, and therefore thou being a poor weak Beleever, thou canst not be able to stand against him by Reasoning no more than against the most cunning Chea∣ter that ever liv'd in the world.

8 Yea, Let me tell you by way of Encouragement for the acting of your Faith in the time of Temptation, That it is not such a heavy condition for the Lord to let the Devil out upon one in the most strongest and terri∣blest Temptation, as for the Devil to have power to draw to any sin; or the power of sin that God leaves any man unto, is a greater evil than the strongest temptation that ever befel any in the world; for the Devil though he be strong, yet he is not able to force any man to sin: To be

given up therefore to the power of any one sin, is a hea∣vier Judgment than to be given up to the most strongest temptation of the Devil.

Object. But you will say, It may be that's my case: may a poor afflicted soul say, Oh! me thinks I feel cor∣ruption to be exceeding strong in me.

Answ. For the Answer to that, The opposition of thy soul, when it is not only thy Conscience, but thy Will and Affections against sin: Corruptions stirs in thee, but thou canst appeal to God, not only because Conscience puts thee upon it, but thou findest thy very heart, thy Will and Affections opposing this: This is a greater good, than the other is an evil, and therefore thou shouldest not be discouraged.

Again Secondly, Walk by Faith even in the stirrings of corruption, for the Lord hath made a gracious Pro∣mise, that sin shall not have dominion over you, in Rom. 6. 14. Oh plead that Promise with God, put that Bond in suit, and act your Faith upon that Promise; Oh Lord, sin stirs forth in me, and I am afraid lest it should prevail: But hast not thou said Lord, it shall not have dominion over me?

9 Further, For the help of thy Faith, even in the time of the stirrings of corruption, take that Scripture in Rom. 5. 6. the Lord is there said to be merciful even to the ungodly in a way of Justification, for so he speaks of that, For when we were yet without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly: Though there be much ungodliness, yet Christ is propounded as dying for the ungodly, therefore if one that is ungodly can act Faith upon the death of Christ, I mean, hath seen much ungodliness prevailing in him, but now can act Faith up∣on such a Promise as that is, That Christ died for the ungodly, there may be walking by Faith, though there be much corruption prevailing.

And know, That thou having to deal with God in the way of a Covenant of Grace; there may be many

Imperfections, and much Corruption may stand with the Covenant of Grace; though it's true, to live under the power of any known sin cannot stand with the Cove∣nant, yet much stirring of corruptions, and many times prevailing of corruptions may stand with the Covenant: We know if a Usurper come and seek to have Dominion over a Country that doth not belong to him, so long as there is opposition that he cannot get upon the Throne to make Laws, and to cause the men to lay down their weapons, he hath no dominion there; but when he gets the power so as to sit upon the Throne, and men cast down their Weapons and come and submit to his Laws, he hath Dominion: And so sin shall never have Do∣minion over the Saints.

Lastly, Do thou act thy Faith even in this case upon the Attributes of God, as I hinted before in the General, when I treated about acting of Faith when God is out of sight; so when corruption prevails, do thou look up to God, as a God gracious, and merciful, and pitiful to∣wards his poor sick children: And suppose that thou hadst a child that were got into an inward room, and had shut the door, and there wringing of his hands and making his moan, Oh that he can love his Father and Mother no more; Oh then how would thy bowels yern towards him, though indeed there be much untowardness in the child: I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself, saith God: If thou when thou art alone doest bemoan thy self that thou hast such a disobedient heart, that thou canst love, and fear, and obey God no more; surely thou hast to deal with a Father that will spare his, as a Father spareth his only Son that serveth him, and therefore walk by Faith notwithstanding such corruptions that do much trouble thee, and many times prevail upon thee.

CHAP. XXVI.

Saints must walk by Faith in time of Afflictions 1 They may see the Love of God therein. 2 The Wisdom of God. 3 The Faithfulness of God. 4 The Tenderness of God. 5 The Protection of God. 6 The Strength of God. 7 The Glory God takes in delivering.

BUt God follows me with lamentable and sore [Obj.] afflictions together with my sin, what should I do in that case?

Answ. Thou must walk by Faith here: This like∣wise befel Paul, he was troubled with temptations and stirrings of corruption, he cries out sometimes that he was sold under sin, and many great and sore afflictions were upon him; but through the exercise of Faith he was able to go on in his way, and to walk with God in the midst of the greatest and sorest afflictions that did be∣fal him: This were a Point of very great use, To shew how Faith doth act in afflictions, and how the soul may be enabled to walk with God comfortably in the time of afflictions: the use of Faith is much in time of affliction. Hope that hath all its strength from Faith, is call'd an Anchor, an Helmer, and Shield: now the use of these things are in time of storms, in time of danger and oppo∣sition: Then (if ever) Faith should shew what it's able for to do; as David said to the King of Akish, Thou shalt know what thy Servant is able to do; and so when God calls to an affliction, God calls to Faith, Come, let's see what you are able for to do. Now Faith helps in time of Affliction many waies.

First, As the first and principal help of Faith in af∣fliction, whereby a Saint is able to walk, is, By looking

up on God, it's God in Christ that is the proper object for the eye of Faith to look upon You know Moses in the 11. to the Hebrews, was willing to endure affli∣ction with the people of God; but how? he ••aw him that was invisible, He did endure, he went on in a con∣stant way of suffering afflictions, but it was by the sight of that God that was invisible. Now the eye of Faith by pitching its self upon God, doth mightily carry the heart through afflictions.

As thus, It sees in Afflictions the Love of God; in Heb. 12. 6. God chastises whom he loves; how can this be seen, but by Faith? when God chastises me, yet he loves me; and how easie is it for the soul to walk with God in afflictions, when he can see Love in the Rod? And so in Rev. 3. 19. there's the Love of God in afflictions.

Secondly, There's the Wisdom of God in afflictions, he works wisely in afflictions; the Lord considers what affliction is, and he measures out afflictions sutable unto the conditions of his Servants that are in affliction: you have a most excellent Scripture for that, in Psalm, 31. 7. where the Psalmist saith, I will be glad, and rejoyce in thy mercy, for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities: Thou hast conside∣red my trouble; A man that is impatient under trouble he himself considers his trouble with all the circumstan∣ces and Arguments of it: but thou shalt not need to consider thy trouble, to be so poring upon thy trouble, God himself considers thy trouble, he con∣siders what a proportion there is in the trouble to thy strength; the Lord considers the Kind of the trouble, the Lord considers the Degree of the trouble, the Mea∣sure of it, and the Continuance of it: there's nothing to be considered in any trouble, but God considers of it. Oh it's a great help to a soul to walk by Faith to consider this; There is nothing in my affliction that is to be con∣sidered of, but Lord, thou doest consider of it.

3 And then the soul looks upon Gods Faithfulness in

afflictions in Psalm, 119. 75. In very faithfulness thou hast afflicted me: There is a Faithfulness in this, as well as in fulfilling Promises; and you know Faithfulness is a special Object for Faith.

4 And then the soul looks upon Gods tenderness in the time of affliction, how compassionate and sensible God is of my afflictions; in Isa. 63. 9. In all their affli∣ction he was afflicted; he was afflicted himself, he was sensible of all those afflictions, he did Sympathize with them in the Furnace.

5 Again, The Soul doth look upon Gods Protection in afflictions, and so exercises Faith: it's a notable Scrip∣ture in Psal. 57. 1. Thou wilt hide me under the shadow of thy wings until these calamities be overpast: his af∣flictions were very grievous and sad; but mark how he exercises Faith, he looks upon himself as under the sha∣dow of Gods wings.

6 Further: Faith, it takes hold of the Strength of God in Afflictions, and so comes to have strength to bear afflictions beyond all natural strength: that Scripture is most famous for this, in Isa. 27. for the way of the soul in exercising Faith in the time of afflictions, Or let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me, and shall make peace with me: The Lord there was speaking of his Church as a Vine in the beginning of the Chapter: Now as a Vine hath little strings that God hath in the Work of Nature put into it for to catch hold upon any thing that is next it to under-prop it; because the Vine is a weak Creature in its self, therefore God supplies the want of strength by those little strings: So saith he, Let him take hold of my strength, let him by Faith, when storms and tempests, when afflictions comes, let him by Faith take hold of my strength: as the Vine in the time of a storm, if she can catch hold upon any strong thing to support it, the Vine keeps up, whereas o∣therwise it falls upon the ground: So if there be Faith to take hold of the strength of God in the time of afflicti∣on,

then the soul is supported and enabled to go through the affliction.

7 Yea further, Faith doth not only take hold of Gods Strength, but that's one remarkable thing, Faith looks upon God as making of it the greatest thing that himself doth delight and glory in, namely, to help his Servants in time of affliction; as in Isa. 25. 4. there you shall find the Prophet setting God out in his Glory, and it is in the helping of his people out of their afflictions, and so Isa. 30. 18. the Lord waits to be gracious, as a work that his heart is most set upon: and in the latter end of the 7. of Micah, Who is a God like unto thee, pardoning iniquity, transgression, and sin? and so he goes on in shewing of his pity▪ and compassion towards his Servants: Who is a God like unto thee? and that in this thing, in the way of his Mercy: God when he would shew his Glory to Moses, he shewed the Glory of the At∣tributes of his Goodness, and Mercy: Now when Faith can look thus upon God, God is not only able and wil∣ling, but accounts it his great Glory, the great Master∣piece of all his Works to be helpful to his poor Servants in the daies of their troubles and afflictions: Upon this the soul walks by Faith▪

CHAP. XXVII.

Faith helps the soul in time of affliction. 1 By taking away guilt, which makes afflictions heavy. 2 And by turning them into good. 3 By concluding delive∣rance as present. 4 By resting upon the Word. 5 By making up all comforts in God.

1 ANd then another thing wherein Faith helps the soul is this: Faith takes away the guilt of sin, and so makes the affliction easie to be born; it takes a∣way the guiltiness, and so it comes to purifie the heart; guiltiness makes afflictions very heavy and sad: When Josephs Brethr••n had guiltiness upon their Consciences,

in Gen. 42. 21. That made the affliction to sting indeed: Faith takes away guiltiness: That place in Rom. 5. 1. is notable for this, We being justified by Faith, have peace with God; and what then? We rejoyce in Tribu∣lations: We can easily rejoyce in Tribulations, if we be justified by Faith, and so we have peace with God; it's the guilt of sin that is the sting in afflictions: Saith Lu∣ther, Strike Lord, strike, for I am absolved from my sin: Let God take away guilt, it's an easie matter to bear af∣flictions: And this is the proper work of Faith to justi∣fie the soul before the Lord, and to take away the Curse in Afflictions: All the sting and curse of an affliction comes by sin, it comes by the Law; Faith acts upon the afflictions of Christ, upon what Christ hath suffered, and so comes to take away the sting of all afflictions; Oh Death, where is thy sting? under the word Death, is comprehended al the forerunners to it, Oh Death, where is thy sting? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ: It's all taken away in the Lord Jesus Christ; and so Faith it comes to turn Afflictions into Good, our Water into Wine.

2 Afflictions that were evil before, they come to be turned into Good: As when Moses took up the Serpent; it was a Serpent before he touch'd it, but when he took it up, it was a rod in his hand, of use unto him: So though Afflictions in themselves be as a Serpent ready to devour, yet being toucht by the hand of Faith, they are a Rod, and such a Rod as is useful, they are turned into good? and this is the work of Faith to make such a strange kind of alteration in afflictions: there's a notable Scripture in Job, 5. 19. speaking concerning af∣flictions, He shall deliver thee in six troubles, yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee; it's a very strange expression: though thou beest under many troubles, no evil shall touch you; the evil is taken away, the sting is gone, though the trouble be there: If the sting be taken out of a Bee, though it may make a buzzing so as to

scare a child, yet a man of understanding is not afraid.

3 Again, Faith doth enable the soul to look upon the Issue of Afflictions as present, and to conclude deliverance out of afflictions, though it be not actual, yet to make it as actual, and real; as in Hosea, 6. 2. After three daies he will revive us: He Will, though he hath smit∣ten us, yet we can look upon our reviving as a certain thing; After three daies, he will revive us: And in Job, 23. 10. I shall come forth as Gold: I know what the issue of all will be, it will be good; and this is as present to the soul, the soul by Faith doth see the quiet fruit of Righteousness that will come of all Afflictions: How easie is it to walk by Faith in Afflictions, when I can see the Issue of all as present, and good coming out of all af∣flictions.

4 Again, Faith helps in Afflictions by resting upon the Word: In the 119. Psalm, 49, 50. there David tells you what it was that did support him in the time of his affliction, namely, The Word: This is the way that a Beleever helps himself in afflictions; he doth not so much fly to this Duty, or the other Duty, and fall a whi∣ning, and crying out, and wringing his hands, and shew∣ing passion and distemper; but goes and turns over the Word, and if he find the Word speaking well unto him, that's that which doth support the soul in the time of trouble; when God saith, I will be with you in six troubles, and in seven, and in the fire, and in the water, that they shall do you no hurt: these things doth Faith rest upon. The Promises that God hath made to help the soul in afflictions, are exceeding many; take that one Scripture in the 27. of Isa. 7, 8. Hath he smitten him as he smot those that smot him? or is he slain accor∣ding to the slaughter of them that are slain by him? In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt deba••e with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the East wind: it's as sweet and excellent a Scripture for Faith to rest upon, almost as any I know: The day of the East

wind, it's a day of a great deal of trouble and danger, a cold and nipping wind; but God staies his rough wind, he doth pity them, and in measure he will debate; they are as yong tender buds, and God sees that if the rough wind should come upon them, that they were not able to bear it, and therfore God deals with them according to their tenderness: Oh that you would consider of this, you that think your afflictions great; as every man and woman is ready to think their affliction to be the grea∣test: It is an East wind that is upon you, but there might have come a rough wind in the day of the East wind, but God staies that, because in measure he would debate with you; in Psal. 103. 13, 14.

5 Besides, In Afflictions Faith exercises thus; It makes up all in God; such and such Creature Comforts are taken from me, but Faith is such an excellent Princi∣ple as it makes up al in God: this is as great an excellency of Faith as any, and those that are Beleevers, know what the meaning of this is: This I confess is a riddle to many, To make up their losses in God; such an heavy affliction hath befallen me, but when the soul can go and make up all in God, here's the work of Faith, to close with God, the Lord is an Al-sufficient good, and what I had before in the Creature, was but as in the Pipe or Conduit; but I have the Fountain now in having God: This is the principal work of Faith; I thirst for thee (saith David) in a dry Land; not for Water, but for Thee, for thou canst make up the want of water; this is the very Nature of this Grace: What is the very chief work of Faith but this, The giving up its self wholly to God as the Alsuffi∣cient good, as its Infinite Alsufficient good, and to be satisfied in him alone whatsoever I want in any Creature? This is the very Primary act of Faith, and the excellen∣cy of Faith appears in this; and therefore it's very use∣ful in the day of Jacobs trouble.

CHAP. XXVIII.

USE.

Exhortation to exercise Faith in the Evil Day.

I Shall draw all to a Close about this Point for the present, and that is, To labor with you to exercise Faith in the evil Day, walk by Faith when the clouds are over you: What do you think that Faith is of no other use than a Sun-Dyal, only in time of fair weather; sure∣ly it is not so with Faith, to be of use only in a Sun-shine day; but it is of use specially in stormy winter weather: And take this one Note from this Scripture that you have in 1 Pet. 1. 5. that all the power that there is in God will not help you any further, or you cannot expect help from all the power there is in God any further than there is an exercise of Faith, Who are KEPT* 1.8 (saith the Apostle) by the mighty Power of God, but how? through Faith unto Salvation: we are kept by the Power of God, but through Faith: 'Tis not enough for you to say, that there is an Infinite and Glorious God, that hath all Power and Excellency in him; but there's none of this Power that will be let out to you, but through Faith, it must be through an Act of Faith: Oh what hath God laid upon this Grace of Faith, that though he hath so much Power to help the Creature, yet he saith all my Power shall wait upon the exercise of Faith, I wil stay till I see Faith be put forth, before I will put forth Power in any extremity: you know what Christ saith, He could not do any great work, because of their Ʋnbe∣lees: why blessed Savior? what is thy Power lessened that thou canst not do any great work? It is because of their Unbeleef; Unbeleef comes and stops, as it were, the Arms of an Infinite Power: Thou art a poor weak Creature, and art afraid that thou shalt fall off, Oh how shall I be kept through all the tryals, and dangers, and discourage∣ments I meet withal in my wilderness travels? God is able to do it; but how shalt thou have the use of this Power? It must be through

Faith. Oh the necessity that there is of Faith then in an afflicted con∣dition: And this exercise of Faith will mightily quiet the soul in the time of affliction: In Psalm, 62. you have an excellent Scripture for the quieting of your hearts in the daies of affliction by the exercise of Faith; My soul, wait thou upon God: it may be read according to the Original thus, My soul, do thou keep silent to God, for my ex∣pectation is from him. By the exercise of Faith the soul is Silent. But that which I would further note from this Scripture, is this: It may be you will say, I have endeavored to put forth an act of Faith in the time of my affliction, and yet for all that I do not find my heart quiet. Though thou hast endeavored once, yet do it again.

You shall observe how the soul gets ground by the exercise of Faith in the time of affliction, if you compare the beginning of this 62. Psalm with the middle, Truly my soul waiteth upon God, from him cometh my Salvation; he only is my Rock, and my Salvation: He is my desence, I shal not be greatly moved: At first he was only able to say thus, He is my defence, and my rock, I shall not be greatly moved: But remember, after he had been exercising Faith, he hath a higher expression than before, in the 6. verse. He only is my Rock, and my Salvation; he is my Defence, I shall not be moved: Now I am sixt, whatsoever storms and troubles come, I am i•• a safe condition, I shal not be mov'd at all. Oh that you would but lay up these things that you may have Faith in a readiness whensoever it should come to act: as that place in the Psalms that speaks of David in the trouble of his Spirit, he saith, That at what time he was afraid, he would trust in God: not only this, that David was afraid, but at what time he was afraid, he would trust in God: so against what time thou art afflicted, thou shouldest lay up these things that thou mayest have use of them, as Mary hid Christs sayings in her heart: At the time when thou art afflicted, the time when temptation comes, the time when God hides himself, the time when God appears as an enemy; now know that God calls thee to the exercise of this glorious Grace of Faith, Which is the SUBSTANCE of things hoped* 1.9 for, the EVIDENCE of things not seen, as the A∣postle describes it. That so thou mayest walk with God by Faith here on Earth, and hereafter enjoy him by Sight in Heaven; where we shall know him as we are known, and be∣hold him face to face, and shall see him as he is, so far as Creatures are capable of that Blissful, Beatifical Vision, in the great day of Revelation of Jesus Christ, the only King of Saints.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  In sese visus sen∣sus com∣plectitur omnes.
• * 1.2

  Vide, The Evil of Evils, or the Sinful∣ness of sin.
• * 1.3

  Animalis Homo, i. e. Homo non alia quam Naturali animi luce praeditus. Beza.
• * 1.4

  A man that hath only Natural abilities and perfections.
• * 1.5

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Answer, or De∣nunciation of Death.
• * 1.6

  Plutarch in the life of Alex. fol 862.
• * 1.7

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, stiff, solid, setled.
• * 1.8

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as with a Guard, or in a garison that is well fenced with walls and works, and so is made impregna∣ble.
• * 1.9

  Heb. 11. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.